Young players Brighton should try and sign this summer
It looks set to be a busy summer as the Seagulls gear up for a new revolution in the Premier League under the stewardship of Graham Potter.
A quick glance at bookmakers odds and a look at the best matched betting sites have the Seagulls amongst the favourites to be relegated from the top flight but if that nuclear scenario is to be avoided, change and fresh legs are needed.
For too long Brighton have relied on an ageing squad so next term it would be a good idea to freshen things up as they look to cherry-pick some of the best young talent in the Football League.
Reece James
An old school full-back, according to reports Potter wants the powerful defender on an initial loan deal and he could become his first signing. The position Reece James is likely to fill would mean the end in all probability for Gaëtan Bong, who is the wrong side of 30 and was caught out on more than a few occasions last season owing to his lack of pace.
An England under-20 international, Manchester United and Liverpool have been keeping tabs on him but surely he needs game time at this stage of his career and Brighton can offer that, at the highest level.
He had a great season on loan at Wigan Athletic as he helped keep them up in the Championship and he would be a welcome addition to the squad should he put pen to paper on a loan deal.
Kalvin Phillips
Playing at the heart of the Leeds United midfield for most of last season, Phillips would probably jump at the chance of gaining some experience in the top flight, particularly after the defensive midfielder missed out on a return to the Premier League after his Leeds side were defeated by Derby County in the playoff semi-finals.
There’s rumours that Eddie Howe would quite like the 23-year-old, amongst others, and a move to the Vitality Stadium would see him once again partner his former Leeds team mate Lewis Cook in the engine room. With Dale Stephens and Pascal Groß currently on the books and playing a similar position, time will tell whether or not Potter opts for another option in that area but his legs and energy would be a big plus.
Dwight Gayle
Gayle gets quite a lot of criticism but there’s no doubting that he is a goal threat at any level, with his pace scaring the life out of opposition defenders. He’s never really had a full crack in the top flight, despite his time with Newcastle United but he’s at the right age and with West Bromwich Albion failing to gain promotion it’s likely the striker will be off somewhere new this summer.
Jarred Bowen
Tricky, good with both feet and a real handful for opposition defenders, Bowen, 22, scored 22 goals during the last campaign in the second tier and it’s believe that a number of Premier League clubs are looking very closely at the attacker.
It is understood a fee of around £15m would be enough to tempt Hull City into letting the striker go but Brighton would have to move quickly for him given the he has so many top division admirers. It would certainly give the Seagulls more threat up top, something that was highlighted by the fact that Brighton didn’t score for over 12 hours until their 1-1 draw with Newcastle.
