Newcastle linked to Van Hecke, report denies Liverpool want Pedro, & other Brighton news (news roundup Apr. 20 - May 3)
With a 3-2 win over West Ham last week, the Seagulls still have a chance to qualify European football next season. We’ll have to wait and see how things shake out today against Newcastle. Before then, let’s get caught up on the latest Brighton news stories from the last two weeks.
Transfer News
Incoming Transfers
Habib Diarra - Strasbourg midfielder linked again
L’Équipe (via Get French Football News) has reported that Strasbourg captain Habib Diarra could be on his way out of the club this summer. Brighton and Everton are keeping track of the 21-year-old midfielder.
Diarra is under contract through 2028, so Strasbourg are in a strong position to hold out for a substantial fee. This makes Chelsea the best contender to sign the Senegalese. The club’s owners, BlueCo, also owns Strasbourg.
Arthur Avom - Brighton tracking Lorient prospect
TEAMtalk claims Brighton “are plotting a move” to sign Lorient midfielder Arthur Avom. The 20-year-old Cameroonian has made 31 appearances for Les Merlus in Ligue 1 this season.
West Ham and Chelsea are also keeping tabs on Avom, but other reports say that Brighton are in a stronger position to sign him. The Albion have made multiple “checks on situation to gauge his interest in a summer transfer.” Avom’s contract expires in June 2026, but Lorient can trigger a one-year extension this summer.
Marwin Schmitz - Albion inquire about St. Pauli wonderkid
Brighton are set to rival Juventus’ interest in St. Pauli midfielder Marwin Schmitz. Tuttosport says that the Seagulls have already inquired about the player, as the club are “always very attentive to the movements of the best young players in Europe.”
Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart and RB Leipzig have also “knocked on St. Pauli’s” door regarding the 18-year-old. However, the report believes that Schmitz would be more tempted by a move abroad than signing with another Bundesliga team.
Nico Gonzalez - Tottenham, Brighton linked to Juve winger
Another Tuttosport report claims that Brighton are interested in Juventus winger Nico Gonzalez. The Argentine is out of favor in Turin, so the Old Lady are open to letting him go this summer. However, Tuttosport claim Gonzalez does not want to leave the club. He would prefer to stay and fight for a place in the squad.
Alberto Costa - Albion could “rekindle interest” in Portuguese right back
Brighton were one of the main contenders to sign Portuguese right back Alberto Costa when he was with Vitória Guimarães. The player ultimately decided to join Juventus but could now be joining the Albion anyway.
TUTTOmercatoWEB say that the player is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with his role under Igor Tudor. Describing him as a “raw talent in the void,” the report says Costa could leave the club. Porto, Sporting, and Braga are all open to bringing the defender back to Portugal, while Brighton and Fulham could try to sign him again this summer.
Outgoing Transfers
Jan Paul van Hecke - Newcastle targeting Brighton CB for summer transfer
TBR Football has reported that Newcastle are monitoring Jan Paul van Hecke. The Magpies view the Dutchman as a “very important” target for next summer. Bayer Leverkusen are also keeping “keen interest” in the 24-year-old as a replacement for Jonathan Tah.
João Pedro - Report says Brazilian is not on Liverpool shortlist
After months of rumors saying that Liverpool are interested in João Pedro, a new report from the Daily Mail claims the Reds are not tracking the Brazilian. Journalist Lewis Steele says the forward is not currently on Slot’s radar. However, he adds that Liverpool are set to assess their attacking options this summer.
Carl Rushworth - Backup goalkeeper “ready for a new challenge”
talkSPORT and Alex Crook say Carl Rushworth could leave the club this summer. The backup goalkeeper failed to impress on loan at Hull City this season and “is ready for a new challenge after finding his route to the first team blocked by Verbruggen.”
Manchester United, who are keen to sign a homegrown goalkeeper, are one of several clubs who would be interested in Rushworth this summer. Brighton value the 23-year-old in excess of £5m.
Yasin Ayari - Midfielder tipped for a move this summer
Swedish outlet FotbollDirekt report that several clubs are monitoring Yasin Ayari’s situation ahead of this summer. No specific teams are mentioned in the story, but AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund have been previously reported by other outlets. Any club that signs Ayari will have to pay over £30m, says FotbollDirekt.
Evan Ferguson - Moyes wants Irish striker at Everton
Football Insider says that David Moyes has asked Everton higher-ups to sign Evan Ferguson from Brighton this summer. The Irishman has been identified as a potential long-term replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is expected to leave the club this summer.
The report does not mention how much Brighton want for Ferguson, nor how much Everton are willing to spend on him. Previous reports from January have claimed around £40m-£60m.
Tariq Lamptey - Ajax and Everton rumors reignite
With Tariq Lamptey’s contract set to expire this June, multiple clubs are reportedly keen on signing the Ghanaian. AfricaFoot claims that Ajax and Everton are the two most likely teams to sign the defender. Other sources have picked up on this rumor. However, it’s worth noting that Ajax were very strongly linked in January, which Brighton sources denied.
Joshua Duffus - Contract talks stall amid interest from other clubs
According to TBR Football, Brighton and promising forward Joshua Duffus have reached a stalemate during contract negotiations. The 19-year-old could now leave the club this summer on a free transfer.
FC Nordsjaelland were interested in signing the England youth international on loan in January. Brighton would not sanction the deal before Duffus agreed to a new contract. Bayer Leverkusen, Frankfurt, and Marseille could sign him this summer.
Other News & Media
Anniversary of Brighton’s greatest goal
Athletic author Andy Naylor has written a piece on Robbie Reinelt’s equalizer against Hereford on the final day of the 1996-97 season. If you didn’t know, this goal basically saved Brighton from going under. Read the piece here. The club also profiled the historic goal in an article published on the Brighton website here.
Four Albion players nominated for EPL and WSL awards for April
Michelle Agyemang has been nominated for the WSL Player of the Month award after scoring two goals in April. Vote for Michelle here.
Yasin Ayari and Carlos Baleba have been shortlisted for the PL Goal of the Month award for April for their strikes against West Ham. Videos of every angle of both goals are available here. You can cast your votes here.
Bart Verbruggen had two saves nominated for the PL Save of the Month award for April. You can see the nominated saves here and vote for Bart here.
Albion honored at Women’s Football Awards
Brighton CEO and deputy chairman Paul Barber received the Off The Pitch award at this year’s Women’s Football Awards ceremony in London last week. The award recognized Barber’s “unwavering commitment and passion for the advancement of women’s football.” The Albion were also awarded the Best Fan Engagement honor. They were shortlisted for five categories overall.
Losada and O'Riley recognized as PFA Community Champions
The PFA has awarded Brighton’s Vicky Losada and Matt O'Riley as official Community Champions for the 2024/25 season. The organization recognizes two players from each club every year who go above and beyond to serve their local communities.
Yaya Toure visits the Albion
Manchester City and Ivory Coast legend Yaya Toure paid a visit to the Albion training ground this week. He observed Fabian Hurzeler’s session and spoke with the coach about managing Brighton’s African players.
Jess Pegram signs first professional contract
Brighton Women defender Jess Pegram signed her first professional contract with the club last week. The 19-year-old joined the Seagulls in 2022 and has become an integral part of the U19 squad. She has yet to feature for the first team this season.
Injury News
All quotes are from Fabian Hurzeler unless otherwise noted.
Jan Paul van Hecke is “ready to start” and “wants to play.”
Joel Veltman “is an option to start.”
Igor Julio, Kaoru Mitoma, and Adam Webster are also options to start.
Georginio Rutter’s recovery is “very positive…I’m convinced we will see him [again] this season.”
Ferdi Kadioglu will not be available this season. “It's difficult to say a clear schedule when he will be back.”
João Pedro will miss the match, serving the second game of his three-match ban for the red card he picked up against Brentford in Matchweek 33.
Interviews
Fabian Hurzeler discussed his career, modeling ambitions, and more with GQ.
Paul Barber talked about his life before joining Brighton and how the football industry has changed in an interview with the Albion’s official website.
Graham Potter spoke after Brighton vs. West Ham about the “pain” of losing at the Amex.
Malmo manager Henrik Rydstrom revealed to Svenska Dagbladet that he was contacted about becoming Brighton boss last summer (via Sport Witness).
Very thorough report, Cody. Thanks for following me. That JpVH rumour is concerning given our defensive depth, and if there’s serious interest in Ayari, I can’t see him staying but it will be good business as always.
Interesting about Henrik Rydstrom’s revelation too. I remember he was one of the final candidates. How many managers is that now that are known to have been approached last summer?