Thomas Frank backed to 'to quit Brentford' and join Premier League rival in shock switch

Richard Keys has dropped a bombshell, suggesting that Thomas Frank could leave Brentford for Brighton in a surprising managerial move this summer. However, given the longstanding rivalry between the clubs' owners, such a deal seems highly improbable.

Matthew Benham, Brentford's boss, once worked for Albion owner Tony Bloom before setting up his own gambling company. The two had a falling out two decades ago, and the animosity is so strong that Bloom opts to sit with the away fans rather than in the directors' box when Brighton play in west London.

Despite Brentford's challenging season, there's no indication that Frank wants to leave; his contract runs until the end of the 2026/27 season. Meanwhile, Roberto de Zerbi's future at Brighton appears uncertain.

The Italian head coach, who has two more seasons on his contract, has previously been linked with replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield and has made his ambitions clear. Despite guiding Brighton to the Europa League knockout stages, their recent domestic form has raised concerns.

Following a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth, De Zerbi admitted: "We are sorry for the performance but we are not able to give our best and, anyway, our best is not enough to compete at the moment.

Brighton's manager Roberto De Zerbi didn't mince words after a disappointing performance, stating: "We have a lot of problems but we have to find the energy to finish the season in a different way. Injuries are a factor for sure but motivation as well. Motivation in football is 80 per cent of our work. The performance today was not enough. We have always to play with soul, with honour and with pride because we are Brighton."

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In his weekly column, Richard Keys offered a scathing take on De Zerbi's tenure at Brighton: "At Brighton Roberto De Zerbi continues to write his resignation letter. After the defeat to Bournemouth he returned to a now familiar theme - but with a little bit of a twist."

Keys continued, highlighting De Zerbi's criticism of his squad's drive: "We already knew he doesn't believe Brighton match his ambition (honestly - the arrogance) but now he's turned on his players, who he says, 'lack motivation'. Wow. It's over."

He also pointed out Brighton's poor form: "Brighton's latest defeat means that only Sheff U, Burnley and Forest have a worse record than theirs this season. They've won just six of their last 28. If Sean Dyche, David Moyes or any other domestic coach had a record like that there would be screams for them to be sacked."

To cap it off, Keys shared some insider info regarding De Zerbi's future: "The Italian will leave at the end of the season - I'm hearing to be replaced by Thomas Frank, who can think himself unlucky not to have been linked with bigger jobs. Liverpool? Why not? ".