Brighton have appointed Fabian Hurzeler, 31, as their manager, making him the youngest ever full-time boss of a Premier League team.
Hurzeler, who guided St Pauli to the Bundesliga 2 title last season by winning 20 of their 34 matches, has signed a contract until 2027.
Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said his work with St Pauli made him a “standout candidate” to replace Roberto de Zerbi, who left at the end of the season.
The new Seagulls boss will start with the side once he receives a work permit before Brighton’s squad embarks on pre-season preparations in July.
“He has a style of play that aligns with how we want a Brighton & Hove Albion team to play and I’m confident it is one our supporters will appreciate and enjoy,” said Bloom.
Ryan Mason, then 29, was briefly Tottenham’s interim boss in 2021 and is the youngest coach to ever lead a Premier League team, but Hurzeler is the youngest to do so on a full-time basis since the division’s creation in 1992.
Hurzeler is also younger than a number of Brighton’s senior players, including James Milner, 38, Danny Welbeck, 33, and Lewis Dunk, 32.
The new Seagulls manager said he was looking forward to working for a team who are “highly ambitious”.
“The club has a unique history and bold vision for the future so I am truly excited to be part of the project,” said Hurzeler.
First-team coach Andrew Crofts and goalkeeping coach Jack Stern will remain in their positions, and Brighton say the rest of Hurzeler’s backroom staff will be confirmed “in due course”.
