Chief executive Paul Barber says the club’s relationship with Roberto De Zerbi came to ‘an amicable end.’
The Italian left his role as head coach after the final game of the season against Manchester United on Sunday.
Barber said, “You don't find many times in football when relationships come to an end amicably. This is one that has and I think both sides are satisfied that it came to an end in the way that it did, but we are obviously all disappointed that it has.
“In terms of Roberto’s successor, we have got a plan, and we now need to execute that plan. But we first wanted to make sure that we were totally respectful to Roberto, and to make sure Sunday went for him as well as it could.
MA+ members & STH only - Log-in required
Log-in required
“Obviously, the result went against us but I think the reception Roberto got from the fans and the send-off he got from the players and the staff has been magnificent - and deserved. Roberto has also spoken well of the club, the players and the people he's worked with.”
Barber said the club’s aim is that De Zerbi’s successor builds on both his work and that of his predecessors Graham Potter and Chris Hughton.
“We’ve got a style of football that the fans enjoy,” he added. “Roberto built on Graham's work, Graham built on Chris's work and we'd like to progress from where we are.
“We're realistic about the relative success that we've had in the last couple of seasons and obviously before that with Graham, but we're still ambitious and we don't feel that there's a ceiling to what we can do.
“But we have to do it in our particular way that we're comfortable with and that works for us.”