How Brighton & Hove Albion’s first season in Europe looks by the end of the last game at home to Manchester United on May 19 is still uncertain.
Another European adventure remains a possibility, but it is a tall order, with five of their six remaining matches coming against the nine teams above them in the table.
The futures of head coach Roberto De Zerbi, Deniz Undav and Carl Rushworth, plus lots of other issues, are discussed by The Athletic’s Andy Naylor in the Brighton mailbag.
If De Zerbi does leave at the end of this season or next, who do you think would be next up for manager? — John R
They will have been planning for that eventuality from the moment De Zerbi walked through the door. That is the way the club works.
The shortlist will evolve. The progression under Graham Potter and even more so under De Zerbi produces a different dynamic. Brighton are a club with aspirations to regularly qualify for Europe — or at least compete for those spots — and to win a domestic trophy.
The bar has been raised. If you add to the mix stable ownership and the transformation from losses to profits, they have turned themselves into an attractive option for head coaches.
That will lead to a higher calibre of candidates interested in the job, with a broader range of domestic and European pedigree. That makes it less likely to be somebody such as Kieran McKenna (Ipswich) and Russell Martin (Southampton) than would have been the case a few seasons ago, even though they are doing well in the Championship and in terms of style of play would be suitable fits.
Whoever comes after De Zerbi and when that is (I don’t think it will be this summer), the Italian will be a tough act to follow. He has brought an unprecedented level of success and played an entertaining brand of football.
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Who do you think Brighton will sell in the summer? It doesn’t seem like there are as many potential outgoings, as Chelsea and Liverpool took most of them — Andrew R
You mean Chelsea & Hove Albion? Most of the recent big moves have been foreseeable — Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo last summer, Yves Bissouma in 2022, Ben White in 2021. That is not the case this time.
If Kaoru Mitoma had been fit for the whole season and maintained form, the Japanese left-winger would have fallen into the same category. There is less noise now around his future following the back injury that ruled him out from February until the end of the season.
That might gather pace again and, at 26, Mitoma would probably be open to a big move if one materialised, but the chances of that happening have reduced.
Part of the reason the club is yet to confirm plans for a pre-season tour to Japan is whether Mitoma, the star attraction, will be ready in July to play a full part, without any pressure to hasten his return.
Record signing Joao Pedro has done well to score 19 goals in his debut season, especially considering he missed nine matches between February and April with a hamstring injury.
For context, 10 of the Brazilian’s goals have been penalties. It is improbable that the 22-year-old, still with a lot to learn, will be going anywhere just yet.
What does the relative lack of success of the Ansu Fati loan mean for future transfers, specifically in regards to big money transfers? — Jason B
The answer splits into two, so I’ll deal with the second part of it first. I don’t think it will make any difference to an appetite to spend big — in Brighton’s case, that means £40million, not £80million — on a permanent transfer if the right opportunity arises.
The Fati deal is expensive for one season — 80 per cent of his weekly wage with Barcelona of £160,000, so around £7million ($8.7m) in total — but at the time, it was deemed a risk worth taking.
It has not worked out. Fati has been a big disappointment since returning in February from 10 weeks out with a hamstring injury. Brighton are generally not keen on loaning in players, preferring to develop internally. Levi Colwill was an exceptional success last season, but the Chelsea defender was borrowed with an eye on a permanent deal (even though it did not happen).
Fati’s signing has failed (Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
That was not the case with Fati. His salary on the books long term would blow a hole in the club’s structure. His underwhelming contribution is dissuasive to another loan at that cost level.
With at least one report suggesting Carl Rushworth might be in England’s Euro 2024 squad and the Swansea manager (Luke Williams) agreeing, what do you think will happen to him in the summer? He’s surely too good for our bench and too good to lose — Neil W
Crunch time is looming with the overall goalkeeper situation after the questionable rotation of Bart Verbruggen and Jason Steele.
It has reached the stage for Rushworth following successful loans at Walsall (League Two), Lincoln City (League One) and Swansea (Championship) where he will want to see a future as Brighton’s No 1, or at least to be in a position to compete for the gloves.
Rushworth, 22, has yet to make a senior appearance for Brighton but has been an ever-present for Swansea, whom he joined last summer after signing a contract extension until 2027.
I’ve heard you mention the embargoed element of the pre-match media interview with the manager. What is the reason for this and what is normally discussed? — Garry S
The pressers split into two halves. The first half, with no embargo, is when the broadcasters (TV and radio) ask questions. The second half is for the written press, under an embargo that suits the questioner, which is listed when he/she transcribes the answer or answers (each writer does their own bits via email, which is shared around).
For national newspapers, the embargo has long been 10.30pm (UK time) to fit in with the publication of first editions. For The Athletic, early the following morning works better. The system varies slightly from club to club.
De Zerbi hinted that Undav could return for next season. It feels unlikely to me, but I wonder if you have any info on the situation — Gary T
It has been more than a hint from De Zerbi. I assume it feels unlikely because of some reports from Germany implying Undav would like to stay and because of an option to buy in his loan to Stuttgart.
I wouldn’t read too much into that. The 27-year-old is Brighton’s player, plus the details of the buy option are unclear. Brighton would not let him go cheaply. The cost could be prohibitive to Stuttgart.
De Zerbi’s attacking options for next season have been boosted by the news that Danny Welbeck is close to agreeing a contract extension. Nothing has been signed, but Brighton are optimistic they can seal a new one- or two-year deal.
Who do you think Brighton will be targeting for this summer transfer window? — Oliver L
Brighton have a habit of revisiting players they missed out on in the previous transfer windows.
An asking price in January of around £40million for Leicester midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was too high for the club to pursue.
Competition will be hot in the summer for the 25-year-old, who was named recently in the Championship’s team of the season. Given Leicester’s financial difficulties, Dewsbury-Hall will probably be sold in the summer, but probably to a bigger club than Brighton.
What the winter move for Dewsbury-Hall tells us is that a midfielder will be a high priority.
There was interest in taking Tottenham Hotspur’s Bryan Gil on loan, but the terms would have been prohibitive and the Spanish winger was reluctant to move.
Gil is likely to be available for a permanent move in the summer. Whether it is Gil or not, signing another natural winger is likely, together with a full-back.
The injuries this season, although unprecedented in scale, have exposed a lack of Premier League-ready depth in some positions.
There’s been talk of Valentin Barco going out on loan next term, but does this season’s experience suggest we’ll need him with the squad? — Trist H
On the limited evidence we have seen, the Argentinian 19-year-old has not looked ready yet for the Premier League.
It is hard to call at this stage. That might change with a pre-season under his belt, or the club may feel he would benefit from a European loan.
Barco’s impact has been limited since his January signing (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
The settling-in process and the best route to take varies from player to player. Facundo Buonanotte, Barco’s compatriot, had bits and pieces of action last season after he was signed in the January window. He was kept in-house and has developed into a more regular contender.
Before that, Caicedo had a watching brief from the bench when he first joined in January 2021. The Ecuador midfielder was loaned out to Beerschot in Belgium the following season before breaking through at Brighton a year after he was signed.
What does a successful season look like? — Simon C
Qualification for the Europa League was achieved last season via sixth place with 62 points. A simple equation, then — six wins out of six to get the job done with 62 points again.
It should be a breeze at home to Manchester City on Thursday, then Bournemouth (a), Aston Villa (h), Newcastle United (a), Chelsea (h) and Manchester United (h).
More realistically, a straight fight for eighth on the final day against Manchester United would be fun, after wins in the last four league meetings and that unfortunate defeat on penalties in the FA Cup semi-finals last season.
(Top images: Mitoma, De Zerbi and Rushworth. Photos: Getty Images)
