Italy defender Diego Coppola has said he is “so happy” after joining Brighton & Hove Albion from Serie A side Verona on a five-year deal.
Centre-back Coppola, 21, made his Italy debut earlier this month after establishing himself as a regular for his boyhood club since breaking into the first team as a 17-year-old.
“Although he is still young, he is tall, strong and mobile and will give us a real physical presence,” predicted Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler, calling Coppola “an exciting addition”.
“He has made impressive progress in Serie A and deserved his call-up to the Italian national team. We look forward to helping him develop even more.”
Coppola has cost The Seagulls around £9 million, Sky Sports reported.
Coppola to Brighton is EVERYTHING that’s WRONG with Italian football! pic.twitter.com/lrQFk62iii
— The Italian Football Podcast (@ItaFootPod) June 16, 2025
Diego Coppola: Brighton signing calls Verona ‘home’
In a message to Verona, who finished six points above the relegation zone last season, Coppola reflected that he had “lived all the emotions and all the possible experiences” with the 1984/85 champions.
“I’ve been wearing this shirt for eight years,” he added. “Verona is my home. A special thank you to all the people who have been part of my yellow-blue journey that lasted 13 years.
“It was a privilege to play for the colours of my city. I always tried to give my all and honour the jersey. I hope I left in every fan a good memory of me and the person I am. I will carry you in my heart forever.”
Diego Coppola stats
The deal represents Brighton’s third summer signing following the arrivals of winger Tommy Watson from Sunderland for a reported £11m and striker Charalompos Kostulas from Olympiakos for an initial £29.7m.
Coppola made 26 appearances in all competitions for Verona in 2023/24, scoring two goals and being ever-present throughout their final six fixtures.
He made his senior Azzurri debut as a starter in a 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier in Norway on June 6, but the game itself proved less memorable than the occasion for Coppola, whose side lost 3-0.
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Diego Coppola Italy debut
“This was not the debut I was hoping for,” Coppola told RAI Sport and Sky Sport Italia, via Tutto Mercato. “We had completely the wrong approach.
“Our first shot on goal came in the 80th minute. I feel bad for the Italian fans – we have to do better in the next game.”
The result led to the sacking of manager Luciano Spalletti, with Coppola making a seven-minute substitute appearance in Italy’s subsequent 2-0 home win over Moldova in qualifying.
When are the Premier League fixtures released 2025/26?
Coppola will find out his schedule with his new club when the 2025/26 fixtures are announced at 09:00 BST on Wednesday, June 18 2025.
“Good luck, Diego,” Verona said in a message to Coppola. “With the shirt of your city from the provincial fields, to Serie A, [you were] always wearing these colours until your debut with [Italy].”
Premier League fixtures release date 2025/26
Dates for all matches will be made available on the Premier League website and via the official competition app.
Fans can download the schedule to their devices with the official Premier League digital calendar.
When does the 2025/26 Premier League season start and end?
The first round of matches in 2025/26 will be on the weekend of August 16 2025. The last will all start at the same time on May 24 2026.
No rounds will take place within 60 hours of each other and there will be no fixture on December 24.
2025/26 Premier League TV deals
Sky Sports and TNT Sports will share the live broadcasting rights to show the Premier League in the UK between 2025/26 and 2028/29.
BBC Sport also has highlights rights, including Match of the Day, and audio rights, which it shares with talkSPORT.
How to watch the Premier League on TV: Sky Sports
Prices for Sky Sports and TNT Sports vary. Via Now TV, Sky Sports costs £14.99 for a day membership, £26 a month for a six-month membership or £34.99 a month with no contract.
Sky Sports memberships include access to all 12 live Sky Sports channels and Sky Sports+, which offers live streams and a dedicated channel.
According to BT, TNT Sports costs £20 a month when bought with a broadband package or £30.99 a month without a contract.
Those prices include discovery+ Premium, which offers access to thousands of exclusive shows and originals.
Premier League live streams: How to watch online
Both broadcasters have dedicated apps allowing fans to live-stream the games: SkyGO for Sky Sports and discovery+ for TNT Sports.
Both apps are available on a vast range of devices, including smart TVs, gaming consoles, set-top boxes and mobile devices.
