Brighton will be eying promotion from the Championship this season, but after spending just over £6m this summer – have they done enough business to achieve their goal?
Brighton manager Chris Hughton
Promotion hopefuls Brighton and Hove Albion will be looking to build their third placed finish last season with their new transfers.
Here is the breakdown of their summer business…
Ins – 8
Ben Hall (undisc. from Motherwell)
Steve Sidwell (free from Stoke City)
Tyler Hornby-Forbes (undisc. from Fleetwood Town)
Oliver Norwood (undisc. from Reading)
Shane Duffy (£4m from Blackburn)
Sam Adekugbe (loan from Vancouver Whitecaps)
Glenn Murray (loan from AFC Bournemouth)
Sebastien Pocognoli (loan from West Brom)
Total spending: ~ £6.5m
Brighton’s Glenn Murray celebrates scoring their third goal
There haven’t been many big money arrivals at the Amex this summer but there still looks to have been some shrewd business done nonetheless.
Signing Steve Sidwell permanently from Stoke was a positive move considering his contribution for the club at the back end of last season.
The 33-year-old will bring some added steel to the Seagulls midfield alongside fellow new man Oliver Norwood.
Northern Ireland’s Oliver Norwood in action with Germany’s Mesut Ozil
Shane Duffy and Sebastien Pocognoli will add defensive competition as they look to shore up at the back.
The loan signing of 2012/13 Championship Golden Boot winner Glenn Murray from Bournemouth is already looking like a clever move as the 32-year-old already has three goals under his belt.
Star signing: Glenn Murray (loan)
Bargain buy: Steve Sidwell (free)
Brighton’s Steve Sidwell in action with Sheffield Wednesday’s Kieran Lee
Outs – 12
Inigo Calderon (free to Anorthosis)
Adam Chicksen (free to Charlton Athletic)
Andrew Crofts (free to Charlton Athletic)
Gordon Greer (free to Blackburn Rovers)
Glen Rea (undisc. to Luton Town)
Christian Walton (loan to Luton Town)
Chris O’Grady (loan to Burton Albion)
Tom Dallison (loan to Cambridge United)
Jordan Maguire-Drew (loan to Dagenham & Redbridge)
Jake Forster-Caskey (loan to Rotherham)
Bobby Zamora (released)
Danny Holla (mutual consent)
Total incoming: ~ £100,000
Net spend: ~ £6.4m
Danny Holla Looks dejected after the game.
Perhaps the most important thing for Brighton this summer was to keep hold of their best players and they have done just that with Anthony Knockaert and Dale Stephens remaining at the club despite strong interest from elsewhere.
Stephens reportedly handed in a transfer request on deadline day in an attempt to force through a Premier League move to Burnley or Hull City.
But Brighton stood firm and managed to keep hold of their key players as they look to build on last season’s impressive league campaign.
Some may be sad to see veteran players Inigo Calderon, Gordon Greer and Bobby Zamora leave the club though moving forward they will be viewed as necessary departures.
Queens Park Rangers’ Bobby Zamora (L) and Sheffield Wednesday’s Oguchi Onyewu in action
Verdict
It’s been a relatively quiet transfer window from Brighton in comparison to their promotion rivals, particularly the clubs relegated from the Premier League last term.
But as an experienced Championship side who missed out on promotion last season on goal difference, for them to keep hold of their stars while steadily improving the side is no doubt a positive sign for Chris Hughton’s side.
Their lack of outgoings did have drawbacks as they were unable to compete financially with the likes of Newcastle United or Aston Villa in terms of bringing in new faces which could hamper their promotion chances.
Still, the Seagulls look to have conducted themselves rather well with low risk signings that could potentially lead to big rewards.
Grade: B-
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