Brighton have confirmed the signing of defender Diego Coppola from Hellas Verona, the Seagulls’ second addition in the summertime switch window.
Coppola, who’s at present representing Italy on the Below-21 European Championships in Slovakia, has penned a five-year cope with Fabian Hurzeler’s facet.
The 21-year-old has made 81 appearances in Serie A since his debut in January 2022, making his senior debut for the Italian nationwide group towards Norway earlier this month.
Coppola made 34 appearances within the Italian top-flight final season, scoring two targets as Hellas Verona ended the marketing campaign 14th, six factors above the relegation zone.
And Brighton head coach Hurzeler is trying ahead to working with Coppola, and believes he can enhance additional throughout his time with the Seagulls.
“Diego is an thrilling addition for the membership,” Hurzeler instructed Brighton’s official web site.
“Though he’s nonetheless younger, he’s tall, robust and cell and he’ll give us an actual bodily presence.
“He has made spectacular progress in Serie A and deserved his call-up to the Italian nationwide group. We sit up for serving to him develop much more.”
The defender follows teenage ahead Charalampos Kostoulas by means of the doorways on the Amex after he accomplished a reported £29.8m transfer from Olympiakos final week.
A message from our latest recruit! pic.twitter.com/8zwWMOUjsZ
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) June 17, 2025
When evaluating Coppola’s 2024-25 league marketing campaign to Brighton’s Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke, it’s clear he’ll supply completely different strengths for Hurzeler in defence.
Coppola had a deal with success charge of 54.5% in Serie A, nearly 10% decrease than that of Van Hecke (64.4%) however solely barely decrease than Dunk’s total whole of 58.8%.
The duel success charges of the three centre-backs are very related, with simply 1.5% separating the defenders.
Nonetheless, the main distinction is within the interception class. Coppola intercepted possession 72 instances final marketing campaign, way over Van Hecke (24) and Dunk (13).
Certainly, Coppola had extra interceptions final yr than some other participant in Europe’s high 5 leagues.