Brighton
Diego Coppola joined Brighton on a permanent deal last summer but was loaned out to Paris FC in January. Despite that, the defender doesn’t have any negative words to say about the Seagulls.
Sport Witness had covered the excitement in Italy about the move to the English south coast, with Hellas Verona receiving a fee of €11m.
In the first half of the campaign, the Italian played five times in the Premier League but featured for less than 200 minutes. He did get game time in the Carabao Cup but it wasn’t enough to impress Fabian Hurzeler
Therefore, in search of more game time, he joined Paris FC, where he has played over 600 minutes in all competitions already. This has somewhat played a role in his call-up to the Italian national team.
The centre-back has now spoken about his time at Brighton and how the exit came about.
Player grateful to Brighton
Diego Coppola spoke to Gianluca Di Marzio in a detailed interview. He had some praise for Hurzeler, despite his lack of game time under the German.
The centre-back said: “He’s a great guy who helped me a lot. That’s why I have nothing to say against Brighton , the staff, or Hurzeler. Quite the opposite.”
Coppola revealed the Seagulls supported him for a transfer, even if they would have preferred to keep him in the side.
“I asked to go because I wanted more playing time; they didn’t want to let me go . Hurzeler would have liked to keep me for the group, because I had a close relationship with the boys and young players. But then they understood my needs, because, also for my growth as a player, it was the best choice, given that I will return there sooner or later.”
The Italian mentioned Brighton’s impressive training ground as one reason he accepted them as a destination in the first place.
“I knew that Brighton were already following me between February and March last year. They sent me videos of the facilities to show how they worked, so I’m not saying I only had an offer from Brighton, but what I know is that they wanted me and I accepted straight away.”
Future may still lie with Seagulls
Considering his words, Diego Coppola may still have a future at Brighton. He does hint at that too, and everything might depend on how he performs for Paris FC.
There should be no doubt about his ability. He impressed in Serie A at Hellas Verona, which earned him a spot with the Azzurri last year too. That shows Coppola can become an important player for Brighton, should he get over the settling-in period.
Many players who feature in Ligue 1 find it easy to make a mark in the Premier League. That is perhaps why Paris FC is a good destination for the 22-year-old, who has a long-term contract at the Amex and may be done just yet.
🇧🇷 EXCLUSIVE: Álvaro Montoro ‼️
➡️ Brighton interest meets Textor financial trouble
➡️ #BHAFC official watched him against Grêmio
➡️ Travelled to Porto Alegre specifically for Montoro
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— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) March 19, 2026