Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi comforted Alexis Mac Allister after the final game of the season
Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi expects influential midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo to both leave the club in the summer.
The Seagulls lost 2-1 to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday, with Argentina World Cup-winner Mac Allister, 24, in tears at the end of the match.
"I think that can be the last game of Alexis and Moises, I'm really sorry," said De Zerbi after the game.
"They are two great people and two great players."
Brighton were already guaranteed to finish sixth in the Premier League, their highest ever position in their 122-year history as the club secured European qualification for the first time with a place in the Europa League group stage.
However, De Zerbi expects Mac Allister, repeatedly linked with a move to Liverpool, and 21-year Ecuador international Caicedo, who was wanted by Arsenal in January with Brighton rejecting a £70m bid, to change teams.
"The policy of Brighton is like this," added De Zerbi. "I think it's right they can leave, can change teams and play in a level higher.
"We are ready. We have to find others big players to play without Alexis and Moises."
'I want them to play in the best team in the world'
De Zerbi became Brighton manager in September, replacing Chelsea-bound Graham Potter.
He subsequently guided them to a series of superb results including two wins over Chelsea and further victories against Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal.
Mac Allister and Caicedo were vital members of those successes, playing 35 and 37 of Brighton's league matches this season respectively.
"If you ask me about Caicedo and Mac Allister, I love them and they are two big, big players and can be in a big, big European team," added De Zerbi.
"They can play in every competition and are ready to compete for a big team and I hope for them they can play in the best team in the world."
De Zerbi felt Brighton could aim for higher than sixth next season, but said he would need to buy more players in order to do so.
He said: "For Brighton we can still improve [without them] and we can bring in other good players with the transfer market.
"Next year we will be playing in four competitions, the Premier League will be tougher for us for sure and we have to be stronger than this year.
"At the moment we are not ready to play three games per week, but we are not used to that. We will have to work in the transfer market and build a stronger squad with more players.
"The results we achieved were incredible, but we have the dream to improve these results."
- Latest Brighton news, analysis and fan viewsGet Seagulls news notificationsListen to the latest Albion Unlimited podcast
- Our coverage of Brighton & Hove Albion is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a momentEverything Albion - go straight to all the best content
Source: bbc.com