Brighton have announced that Fabian Hurzeler has become their new head coach, a club statement confirmed on Saturday.

Hurzeler, 31, signs a three-year deal and arrives at the Amex having led St Pauli to the Bundesliga 2 title last season by winning 20 of their 34 matches.

“From the start of the process to appoint our new head coach, Fabian was always a standout candidate and one who had caught our attention with his exceptional work at St Pauli over the past eighteen months," Chairman Tony Bloom said.

“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.

“Fabian also has an excellent coaching pedigree and has worked with the German federation at various age group levels. We are really excited to start working with Fabian to prepare for the upcoming season.”

1993 - Born in February 1993, Brighton's Fabian Hürzeler will become the first ever manager born after the @premierleague began in 1992 to take charge of a club in the competition. Generation. pic.twitter.com/QU1tW28jyt
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 15, 2024

Brighton's rise under the stewardship of De Zerbi has been admired by many, with the Italian helping the club qualify for Europe for the first time in their history at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

While the Seagulls finished just inside the bottom half of the Premier League table last season, they reached the last 16 of the Europa League, with Hurzeler looking forward to building on the solid foundations laid by the man before him.

"The club has made incredible progress over the last few seasons and the aim is to continue building on that success," Huerzeler said.

"I am relishing the opportunity to coach in the Premier League, and I can't wait to meet the players, staff and, of course, the fans."