Fabian Huerzeler will play down the record-breaking aspect of his move to the Premier League if and when he takes charge at Albion.

The Seagulls were last night understood to remain on course to secure the 31-year-old St Pauli boss as their new head coach.

They opened talks with the Bundesliga outfit after identifying him as the successor to Roberto De Zerbi.

Sources in Germany believe Huerzeler will sign a three-year deal with Albion and expect him to bring one coaching colleague with him.

Huerzeler would become the youngest coach in Prem history and his age has been the focus of much of the reporting of the expected move.

An Argus contact in Hamburg said: “It makes sense that they focus on his age but he always says he is a young human being but not a young coach - he is an experienced coach because he has been coaching for a long time.”

Albion retained coach Andrew Crofts when De Zerbi and seven of his staff members left the club last month.

Crofts played a key role in helping De Zerbi settle into the Premier League and would be expected to have a similar part to play with the incoming head coach.

Goalkeeping coach Jack Stern also remained on board when De Zerbi left.

In terms of compensation, St Pauli are aware Albion secured a record sum when they lost Graham Potter and colleagues to Chelsea almost two years ago.

But they are equally conscious of the fact that they are dealing with expert negotiators in Tony Bloom and Paul Barber and German media have highlighted the former’s poker background.

The expectation in Germany is that the Seagulls will part with a seven-figure sum to secure Huerzeler’s services.

St Pauli had an agreement with the coach that they would not stand in his way if the right opportunity came along when he signed a new deal recently.