'I try to convince him' – Roberto De Zerbi's uphill transfer battle to keep 19-goal ace wanted by Champions League club

Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi will have to be a his persuasive best to keep Deniz Undav at Brighton next term.

Undav, 27, left Brighton on loan at the start of this season and has impressed at Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart, helping them qualify for the Champions League. The Germany international has 19 goals with 10 assists this term and is the highest scoring German in the Bundesliga. He earned a call-up to Julian Nagelsmann’s national team this season and could play a key role in the summer’s Euros.

Undav joined Brighton for around £6m in 2021 after a prolific spell in Belgium with Union SG. He remains contracted with the Seagulls until 2026 but his loan to Stuttgart did include an option to buy, although the terms of the deal are unclear.

Undav has stated he wants to turn his loan move into a permanent switch and the club – boosted financially by Champions League qualification – are keen to have him.

However, Brighton head coach De Zerbi insists he would like Undav back next term and will do his best to persuade him.

The Italian said: “I spoke with Deniz and we decided together and the agreement was to play on loan 30 to 38 games and then come back, because I believe in Deniz as a guy and as a player. I can speak with him and try to convince him, but after that, it is the work of Tony (Bloom, owner-chairman), the club, the player and the agent.”

Asked if it was a mistake to loan out Undav last summer, De Zerbi added: “Yes. But if you knew before the season the injury of [Evan] Ferguson, [Julio] Enciso, of Joao [Pedro] - from February until April - or [Kaoru] Mitoma and [Solly] March. We didn't know.”