FORMER Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana will leave Brighton at the end of the season.

He has told head coach Roberto De Zerbi as well as staff and teammates that he is not signing a new deal.

Lallana hopes to go out on a high after four years with the Seagulls as they play at home to Chelsea and Manchester United.

The former Liverpool and England midfielder said: “It was obviously a tough decision. It just feels like it’s the right time, not just for myself but probably for the club as well.

“I have been in talks with Roberto for the last couple of months and he expressed his wishes for me to stay and keep playing.

“But, after just taking a bit of time to think about where the football club is at and myself having been away from my family for the last four years, I just feel it’s the right time.

“I came to my decision last week. I told Roberto and I told the club and I’ve told all my teammates, which is extremely important to me.

“I just want to really enjoy my last week. Get a couple of positive results and finish the season really strongly.”

Lallana joined Albion in 2020 after leaving Liverpool and has helped them complete the two best league finishes in their history - with a third potentially on the way.

He said: “I’d like to think of it as the whole journey, really. From when I walked into the football club and we were fighting relegation.

“Leaving the football club, I feel we are a fully established Premier League club.

“The fact we haven’t been in a relegation fight this year whilst competing in Europe I think is a huge positive for a club who are new to this level, new to the fixture list.

"I just feel quite a big satisfaction that my job at Brighton is done. I came here to help the football club move forward as a whole and I feel like I have played a small part in that.

"I have been speaking to my family throughout the year and I think the biggest influence on my decision was that my kids needed me. The age they are at, I think they just need me around a bit more.

"I have been quite selfish throughout my whole career, really, where they have had to kind of react to my decisions.

"I feel like it is a time in my life and my career where I need to put them first a little bit."

Lallana made 265 appearances for Southampton before making a big-money move to Liverpool in 2014.