Exclusive – Coppola on the verge of joining Brighton: details | OneFootball

Verona defender Diego Coppola is on the verge of joining Brighton for a fee exceeding €11m plus add-ons, with the Premier League side confident of reaching a complete agreement within 48 hours.

Verona centre-back Coppola is on the verge of joining Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

VERONA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 23: Moise Kean of Fiorentina battles for possession with Diego Coppola of Hellas Verona during the Serie A match between Verona and Fiorentina at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on February 23, 2025 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Sources with direct knowledge of the matter tell me that Coppola is expected to complete a permanent transfer within the next two days.

The 21-year-old played 34 Serie A games for Verona in the 2024-25 season, scoring two goals. He made his Italy national team debut on Friday in a 3-0 loss against Erling Haaland’s Norway.

Coppola had also been linked with some Italian clubs, but Verona received no concrete offers from domestic rivals.

Brighton are confident of reaching a full agreement for €11-12m plus add-ons and a sell-on clause.

VERONA, ITALY – MARCH 31: Antonio Colak of Parma calcio competes for the ball with Diego Coppola of Hellas Verona during the Serie A match between Verona and Parma at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on March 31, 2025 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Coppola has already played 81 Serie A games with Verona, scoring four goals, but a move to the Premier League is increasingly likely.

What Coppola said after Italy debut

“I don’t know if I was Italy’s best player, but I certainly have to take some of the blame for this 3-0 defeat,” Coppola told RAI Sport and Sky Sport Italia.

“This was not the debut I was hoping for. We had completely the wrong approach, our first shot on goal came at the 80th minute. I feel bad for the Italian fans, we have to do better in the next game.

epa12091133 Hellas Verona’s Diego Coppola scores the 1-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match Hellas Verona FC vs US Lecce at Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium in Verona, Italy, 11 May 2025. EPA-EFE/EMANUELE PENNACCHIO

“We were making mistakes with even the simplest passes, which allowed Norway to go on the counter-attack. We should’ve had a different interpretation of the game.

“We made mistakes on their goals and I take my own share of that blame. We knew what they were going to do and still got it wrong.

“All the Norway goals were similar, they all came with runs from deep. We should’ve done better.”