Brighton have named Fabian Hurzeler as their replacement for Roberto De Zerbi.
At 31 years old, former St Pauli coach Hurzeler becomes the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history.
Here, the PA news agency looks at other bosses to have been in charge of English top-flight clubs at a tender age.
Ryan Mason, Tottenham (caretaker) – 29
The former Tottenham midfielder had his playing career ended by a head injury suffered while representing Hull against Chelsea in January 2017, forcing his retirement on medical advice at the age of 27.
Spurs took him on as a coach the following year, and when manager Jose Mourinho was sacked days before the 2021 Carabao Cup final he was handed the first-team reigns until the end of the season, making him the Premier League’s youngest ever coach at 29.
Manchester City prevented Mason from lifting a trophy at Wembley in what would have been just his second game as a boss, but there were four wins from six in the league as the team finished seventh. It was not enough to earn him the job permanently, and Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed at the end of the campaign.
Attilio Lombardo, Crystal Palace – 32
Palace were enduring a dismal season, their first back in the top flight after two years away, when manager Steve Coppell was moved to the director of football role by new owner Mark Goldberg in March 1998.
With the club rooted to the bottom of the table on a run of seven straight loss and 14 games without a win, star midfielder Lombardo was appointed player-manager, assisted by team-mate Tomas Brolin.
The Italy international had joined that summer from Juventus and helped the club to a fine start – they were 10th in November – before injury kept him out for five months. During that time, Palace plummeted, and things did not pick up once the Italian became boss. Five defeats from his seven games in charge saw the team relegated, with Ray Lewington taking over for the final three fixtures.
Chris Coleman, Fulham – 32
Another whose playing career was curtailed by injury, the former Cottagers defender was appointed Fulham caretaker in April 2003 following the sacking of Jean Tigana and with the club flirting with relegation.
Given five games to keep the team up, he earned three victories and a draw as Fulham survived by six points, a brief audition sufficient to persuade Mohamed Al-Fayed to hand him the job full-time ahead of the following campaign.
The ex-Wales international lasted just shy of four years in the role, establishing himself as a top-flight coach with a ninth-place finish in his first season before being sacked during the run-in to the 2006/07 campaign with the team four points above the drop zone.
He went on to lead Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 in France.
Gianluca Vialli, Chelsea – 33
After signing from Juventus in 1996, the Italian striker had struggled for a regular place in the Chelsea side under manager Ruud Gullit but was handed control of the team when the Dutchman was sacked early in 1998.
Already a fan favourite, the new player-manager further endeared himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful by winning the League Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup within months.
A first full season in charge saw Chelsea reach the Champions League for the first time via a third-place league finish, but the bubble soon burst and Vialli was sacked early in the 2000/01 season.
