Brighton have appointed Fabian Hurzeler, 31, as their manager, making him the youngest ever full-time boss of a Premier League team.

Hurzeler, who guided St Pauli to the Bundesliga 2 title last season by winning 20 of their 34 matches, has signed a contract until 2027.

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said his work with St Pauli made him a “standout candidate” to replace Roberto de Zerbi, who left at the end of the season.

Hurzeler will start with the side once he receives a work permit before Brighton’s squad embarks on pre-season preparations in July.

“He has a style of play that aligns with how we want a Brighton & Hove Albion team to play and I’m confident it is one our supporters will appreciate and enjoy,” said Bloom.

Ryan Mason, then 29, was briefly Tottenham’s interim boss in 2021 and is the youngest coach to ever lead a Premier League team, but Hurzeler is the youngest to do so on a full-time basis since the division’s creation in 1992.