The position envisaged by the Guardian writers: 11 (NB: this is not necessarily Ed Aarons' prediction but the average of our writers' advice)
Last season's position: 11th
Perspectives
There is a renewed sense of optimism in the coastal air following the arrival of Roberto De Zerbi, the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history, Fabian Hürzeler. Saint Paul Following promotion to the Bundesliga last season, the 31-year-old appears to be a smart choice to take the place of the enigmatic Italian.
De Zerbi's historic achievements in his two seasons included a A moving comeback against their new employersMarseille, which sparked Brighton's run to the Europa League Round of 16But 11th place was a disappointing end to his tenure after a season severely affected by injuries and it seemed like the right time for both parties to move on.
Hürzeler’s task is to build on the progress made under De Zerbi with a talented squad that should be well set to challenge for a top-half spot, even if matching their sixth-place finish in 2022-23 may prove impossible for them. The return of Kaoru Mitoma from injury that ruled him out for the final three months of last season with a back problem will be vital to their chances. New arrivals Ibrahim Osman and Yankuba Minteh look capable of adding firepower to a team that already boasts Simon Adingra and João Pedro.
Brighton's real problems may be in midfield, where they have Pascal Gross sold the club and could lose Billy Gilmour. Hürzeler hopes Dutch international Mats Wieffer, valued at £25m, can provide support for rising star Carlos Baleba.
Not having to deal with the additional demands of European football should make things easier and Brighton fans will be safe and confident that an eighth title will be their next. Premier league Next season could be another one to remember.