Albion’s youngsters have been told to give themselves a head start over the final weeks of the season.

Roberto De Zerbi gave less experienced players a chance to shine in the defeat by Manchester City, including the first significant playing time for Valentin Barco.

He has said he will place even more reliance on youngsters at Bournemouth today (2pm).

It appears De Zerbi is ready to use the last five games as part of the foundation-laying for next season.

He is open to being impressed in the coming fixtures.

The way De Zerbi spoke on that subject yesterday afternoon could be interpreted as a sign that he expects to be with the Seagulls next term – as indeed he is contracted to be.

But that was not really the point of the question I asked him.

It was more about what a club of Albion’s size could hope to achieve among the Prem super powers.

But he took it as a chance to speak of one aspect of the future – the potential future stars and what they can do in a tough run-in which also sends them to Newcastle and involves home games with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Manchester United.

He told The Argus: “You have to speak about Facundo Buonanotte and Solly March.

“Maybe in the future Facundo Buonanotte can become better than Solly March.

“But, if you speak now, there is a big difference between two players.

“The same between Adingra and Kaoru Mitoma.

“The same Pervis Estupinan and Barco or Baleba and Gilmour.

“For sure in this moment Facundo, Carlos Baleba, Barco as well, Simon Adingra and the other young players – Mark O’Mahony or Offiah - they have a chance to progress, to show their quality.

“After these five games, we have to build the new squad.

“Maybe it can be inside or not, depending on the performances.”

Jan Paul van Hecke had a tough outing at Newcastle about this time last year but then enjoyed a memorable night against Manchester City and Erling Haaland.

Meanwhile Jack Hinshelwood was doing enough in training to leave De Zerbi determined to give him a debut in the final fixture once sixth place had been secured.

De Zerbi invited Hinshelwood’s dad Adam to training the day before that Villa game and told him Jack would get on, as indeed he did for a few minutes.

The Albion boss said: “Last season I thought Jack Hinshelwood should be in the squad this season and I think he showed all his qualities for the first part of the season.

“Now there is a chance for these young players.

“Bill Gilmour and JP van Hecke took the chance to play, to progress, when Colwill left, when Caicedo left.

“They became important for us. Now they are crucial for us.

“For that I spoke after the City game that we are working for the future.

“If they become better earlier, it is an advantage for myself, for them and then for the club.”

Asked if he was excited about Albion’s future, De Zerbi said: “Yes, if there is a clear target, if there is a target to move my emotion, to move myself, it’s excited for sure.”

Carlos Baleba is a key man in that and De Zerbi appears to be showing him the tough love which suggests he has high hopes for a player.

He yesterday upgraded his criticism of the ex-Lille man on the third Manchester City goal.

Having initially shared the culpability between Baleba and Barco, he this time said: “The mistake is Baleba’s because, if he controlled the ball differently and started from a different body shape, we went out of the pressure without a problem.

“That situation would have been easy, as we were not man-to-man and had two players more.

“We have to think in the future, and I am excited to think in the future, because Baleba and Barco have a big potential and will improve for sure.”