Brighton lead the race for Steve Cooper but face competition from at least THREE other clubs... as Seagulls step up search for Roberto De Zerbi's successor

Brighton are leading the race for Steve Cooper as they look to accelerate the search for Roberto De Zerbi’s replacement.

Cooper, who has been out of work since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in December, has made it known that he is determined to continue working in the Premier League.

Mail Sport understands that has not put off Sheffield United and Burnley, both of whom have made pitches to the 44-year-old. An unnamed team in the top half of the Premier League has also held talks with the Welshman.

Having received his full pay-out from Forest, Cooper is now eager to return to the dug-out and he is not finding himself short of options.

Brighton had been keen on a move for Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, only for the Tractor Boys boss to pen a lucrative new deal through until 2028 at Portman Road on Thursday.

The position down on the south coast remains an attractive one - despite De Zerbi's frustrations that the club could seemingly not mirror his ambition - with Brighton having held their own in the Europa League this season, going out in the last-16 stage to Roma.

Cooper has a solid pedigree in the game having risen to prominence by guiding England to Under-17s World Cup glory in 2017.

He went on to manage Swansea City in 2019 before taking over at then-Championship strugglers Nottingham Forest in 2021, turning them around to guide them into the Premier League.

Having steered them clear of safety in their first season back up, Forest stuck with Cooper before another relegation saw him axed and replaced by Nuno Espirito Santo at the end of last year.