De Zerbi reveals why Robert Sanchez is not part of Brighton's first-team plans

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has claimed that the ongoing absence of former No 1 Robert Sanchez from the playing squad is because the Spanish international 'wanted it this way'.

Sanchez, who has played on the south coast since joining Brighton's youth academy in 2013, was not in the matchday squad for Brighton's famous 3-0 victory against Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.

The 25-year-old will also not be named to the team sheet when the Seagulls face Newcastle on Thursday, as De Zerbi's side continue their last-gasp fight to face European competition next season.

Brighton currently sit sixth in the Premier League table – after snuffing out Arsenal's title hopes on the road last gameweek – but will look to shore up their hold on the Europa Conference League spot with Tottenham and Aston Villa snapping at their heels.

The goalkeeper had been Brighton's first choice between the sticks until early March, before losing his spot to Jason Steele, and has since been relegated to FA Cup starts and providing injury cover for the former Sunderland player.

'With Robert, we spoke before the Arsenal game and we decided together the best solution was to stay home,' De Zerbi confirmed on the eve of travelling to St James' Park.

'He decides everything. Robert decides, and at the moment, it's like this. He wanted it this way, not me, not the club.'

De Zerbi also offered an update on the club's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud, who is out of contract at the Bundesliga outfit this summer.

The 27-year-old joined Dortmund in 2017, and Chelsea and Manchester City were heavily linked with the player as his contract ticked down in 2021 – with the player instead choosing to sign an extension.

Despite the transfer not being at completion stage yet, De Zerbi was happy to discuss the likely move.

'I know very well Dahoud, but he's not official at the moment,' the Italian manager continued. 'He's not official yet and we will speak about him later, in the next press conference.'

When told that it 'sounded like he was coming', De Zerbi added: 'Yes, because it is no secret and I like him and I would like to work with him.'

The head coach has been frank about Brighton's movements in the upcoming window, openly discussing the possibility of big-money moves for two of his valued players Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister after the final whistle at the Emirates.

But on Wednesday, De Zerbi walked back the statements instead offering that 'it can be the possibility to lose some big players, like Caicedo maybe, Mac Allister, (Kaoru) Mitoma, I don't know.

'But we are Brighton and I know the policy of my club, and we have to be ready to bring in other good players with the right characteristics.'

Brighton have made a head start on the window, signing Watford's Joao Pedro at the start of May, and the Seagulls are said to be close to finding an agreement with James Milner from Liverpool.

In the present, De Zerbi has said that player selection is making him 'lose sleep', with the manager no closer to seeing movement on the club's lengthy injury list.

The former Shaktar Donetsk manager is unable to call upon Joel Veltman, Adam Webster, Solly March, Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana, Jakub Moder, and Jeremy Sarmiento and with four matches to seal European qualification next year, De Zerbi is hesitant to takes risks.

'We can't lose any more players for the last four games,' he said.

'We can't take any risks and we start (with the intention) to win the game tomorrow but we have to think we have four games in 12 days.

Also, De Zerbi added, his side must 'forget' their triumph in north London in order to move forward, saying that he is urging them to 'start with a clean head.'

'We are fighting for a historic target and if we want to reach the historic target we have to make historic results.

'This year we won two times against Chelsea, we won 3-0 against Liverpool, we won 3-0 in Emirates Stadium.

'We are winning incredible games but to reach the incredible target you have to win incredible games.

'We can decide our destiny and our future but we know the way is still difficult.'

Brighton previously achieved their highest-ever Premier League finish last season under former manager Graham Potter, when the team finished ninth.

With matches against Newcastle, Southampton, Manchester City, and Aston Villa left to play, the Seagulls have already smashed last year's points total of 51.