Goalkeeper Scherpen signs for Union Saint-Gilloisepublished at 13:26 24 July
13:26 24 July
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Goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen has completed a move to Belgian Pro League side Union Saint-Gilloise.
The 25-year-old, who signed from Ajax in July 2021, made just one senior appearance for the Seagulls before loan spells with Oostende and Vitesse Arnhem.
He spent last season at Sturm Graz, where he made 36 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga and Champions League.
Brighton's technical director David Weir said: "Kjell is at the stage of his career where he wants a permanent move, and this is a great opportunity for him at a club who won the Belgian League last season.
"We thank him for his services and wish him all the best for the future."
'O'Riley provides something a little bit different'published at 09:35 24 July
09:35 24 July
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Speaking on the latest episode of the Albion Unlimited podcast, BBC Radio Sussex's Johnny Cantor and former Brighton striker Warren Aspinall discuss Matt O'Riley's future.
The midfielder, who has been the subject of transfer speculation this summer, scored and assisted in Brighton's 2-0 friendly win over Las Palmas.
Cantor said: "I would quite like to see him stay. I don't know whether there's room for him in the squad. I think he provides something a little bit different to some of the other players."
Aspinall added: "I think we should keep him, I think he's very good.
"He's got great vision. In that final third, he can open a team up. We saw it last season and the season before when he was playing for Celtic in big games.
"He's a very talented player, very good with his feet and he scores goals. He can make goals as well.
"He's a very good talent and I think £25m - if that's the going rate they're asking for - would be a bit cheap.
"I'd be willing to sell the likes of Facundo Buonanotte before him."
Gossip: Dortmund keen on Buonanottepublished at 07:12 24 July
07:12 24 July
Borussia Dortmund are interested in Brighton winger Facundo Buonanotte, who has three years left on his Albion contract after spending last season on loan at Leicester City.(Sky Sports), external
'Chance to prove himself again' or 'needs a lower level'? Fans on Fergusonpublished at 13:11 23 July
13:11 23 July
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We asked for your views on Evan Ferguson's loan move to Roma and whether it is what he might need to find his form again and potentially kick-start his Albion career.
Here are some of your comments:
Liam: You just have to give Ferguson time. We've seen what he can do at 18 but injuries have stopped him since. I'm sure if he can find his form at Roma he'll become an important player for Brighton again.
Martin: Good move for both club and Ferguson. He will learn a lot, and hopefully enjoy Italy. Great opportunity.
Luke: I hope he absolutely smashes it. He has had a rough couple of years and just needs to play. What a brilliant club to play for and head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has a track record with young players.
Bob: I hope the no-nonsense coaching of Gasperini will inspire Evan to release his immense talent and potential as a top-class striker.
Tony: It's an exciting move for him and I wish him well. He was unlikely to play regularly for us, and this gives him a chance to prove himself again at the highest level. The club will hopefully reap the benefits in either a fat fee, or a player returning to us at the top of his game.
David: Surely Evan has no guarantee of first-team football at a club like Roma, and may have been better off at a Championship side where he would play every week.
Peadar: How is this a good move? Established Premier League players have struggled playing abroad in a good league like Italy. If the goal is for him to play regularly and get his confidence back, he needs to drop to a lower level.
'We will be watching his progress closely' - Ferguson makes loan movepublished at 09:08 23 July
09:08 23 July
As Brighton's Evan Ferguson completes his season-long loan move to Roma, Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler says the forward "wants to play regularly" after a "challenging period".
The 20-year-old joins the Serie A side having struggled for form and fitness over the past two campaigns - and we want your views.
Ferguson joined the Seagulls from Bohemians in January 2021 and has made 80 appearances for the club, scoring 17 goals.
He spent the second half of last season on loan with West Ham, where he made eight appearances but did not score any goals and provided no assists.
"Evan had a challenging period across the past season and a half, and it has been one disrupted by niggling injury issues, which hasn't allowed him a run of games," Hurzeler told club media.
"He is over those injuries and has come back in great shape. Now he really wants to play regularly. This is an exciting opportunity in a strong league and with the prospect of European football.
"We wish Evan well for the season ahead and will be watching his progress closely throughout the season."
How do you feel about this move for Ferguson? Is this what he needs to rediscover his form? Will time spent in Europe help him kick-start his Brighton career again?
Brighton conclude training camp in Spain with winpublished at 08:34 22 July
08:34 22 July
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Brighton ended their trip to Spain with a 2-0 behind-closed-doors victory over Las Palmas.
Goals from Yasin Ayari and Matt O'Riley, who also claimed an assist, separated the two sides in what turned out to be a comfortable win for the Seagulls.
Brighton have won all three of their pre-season games so far, having also beaten Wycombe Wanderers and Stoke City. They are still to face Southampton and Wolfsburg before the Premier League season starts.
There was some concern, though, with Facundo Buonanotte limping off after playing just 10 minutes.
A much-needed fresh start for Ferguson?published at 13:35 21 July
13:35 21 July
Jordan Butler BBC Sport journalist
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When an 18-year-old Evan Ferguson scored his first professional hat-trick in September 2023 it appeared he was destined to join the Premier League's elite.
The Irishman scored with three of his four shots in Brighton's 3-1 win over Newcastle to earn effusive praise. Alan Shearer labelled him a "special talent" while another goalscoring great Ian Wright highlighted his exceptional movement during his Match of the Day analysis that evening.
The treble took his Premier League total to 10 goals and only three players have ever bettered that tally prior to their 19th birthday; one was former Everton poacher Francis Jeffers and the other two rank among England's finest ever forwards:
But since that eye-catching moment the now 20-year-old has netted only three more times in 44 top-flight appearances and last season he mustered just three shots on target, scoring once:
Ferguson's notable decline has been put down to injuries, a loss of confidence and the form of others. The signing of Greek forwards Charalampos Kostoulas and Stefanos Tzimas has pushed him further down the pecking order on the south coast.
However, there is still plenty of time for him to fulfil his undoubted potential and a move to Roma to play under one of Europe's most prized coaches in Gian Piero Gasperini could be just the tonic.
The Italian tactician got a tune out of strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Mateo Retegui at his former club Atalanta, and the 67-year-old has a proven track record of developing young players.
Ferguson to have medical at Romapublished at 10:49 21 July
10:49 21 July
Simon Stone Chief football news reporter
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Brighton's Evan Ferguson will have a medical with Italian side Roma with a view to joining the Italian club on loan.
The 20-year-old Republic of Ireland striker is attempting to rebuild his career after injury and loss of form resulted in him dropping down the pecking order with the Seagulls.
He joined West Ham on loan for the second half of last season but made only eight appearances and started just once under former boss Graham Potter.
Roma have been in talks with Brighton after earmarking Ferguson to fill the void left by Tammy Abraham, who is playing under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on loan at Turkish club Besiktas.
'I want to have a more positive season' - Milnerpublished at 17:49 17 July
17:49 17 July
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James Milner says he is "feeling good" after a "long journey" back to fitness.
Milner underwent routine knee surgery after a knock in training in August 2024 but complications with the operation led to a long period of rehab.
The 39-year-old returned after nine months out in the final game of last season.
"I'm not 100% yet. We haven't had too much of pre-season but I've been training hard," Milner told the Seagulls' media team from the club's training camp in Spain.
"Nine months is a long time out so that takes time but I've been working hard over the summer and come back in the best possible shape I can.
"After all the things that happened in the last year or so, I'm feeling good to be fair.
"The early part of the rehab was to just get the knee moving again so I could do my knee rehab. We tried everything in the gym and hyperbaric chambers, hot coals, all different types of therapies.
"Sean Duggan the physio was incredible. It's not a common injury. At that time it was a difficult ask to come back and play but through the physio department and Sean's hard work - it was a long journey and a difficult one but the challenge of coming back from it at my age was what drove me on."
Milner is now preparing for his 24th Premier League season and is 16 appearances away from breaking Gareth Barry's all-time record. The three-time Premier League winner never thought about giving up despite his lengthy spell on the sidelines.
"I wouldn't say there was dark times but there was frustrating times," he added.
"There was times where I'd get to five or six weeks constantly then needed a break for two or three days, just a change of scenery to regain the focus and the intensity.
"I wouldn't say I got too down about it. There is the determination to get back and try and contribute and help the manager and club move forward. I want to have a more positive season this time round."
'Settled team selection' - fans on Brighton's guaranteed starterspublished at 14:58 17 July
14:58 17 July
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We asked for your views on who Brighton's nailed-on starters should be next season after boss Fabian Hurzeler explained "we have to make decisions about selling and loaning players".
You can read his comments below this post but here are some of your views on who will be a sure starter for the Seagulls:
Kynan: Nailed-on starters are Bart Verbruggen, Jan Paul van Hecke, Carlos Baleba, Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter. Everyone else is a rotation option with multiple players in each position.
Tony: Verbruggen, Van Hecke, Baleba, Mitoma, Minteh and Danny Welbeck. They will all start the first game. Every other place is up for grabs.
Fran: You have to start some of the new signings. Pointless paying money and not playing them. Verbruggen definitely. Not sure you can leave Van Hecke out - and then start Diego Coppola alongside him. Mitoma, Rutter, Yasin Ayari, Welbeck, Brajan Gruda and Baleba have to start. Players are not going to be happy not playing - especially Matt O'Riley, Mats Wieffer and Tom Watson, who will think it would have been better staying with Sunderland, where he would play regularly. I don't envy Hurzeler trying to select his team. One thing we need this season is a settled team selection.
Jonas: A 3-4-3 formation with Verbruggen in goal. This would suit the current players and manager. We should play with a back three of Van Hecke, Lewis Dunk and Olivier Boscagli; a midfield of Diego Gomez, Baleba, Ayari and Solly March; and three-pronged attack of Mitoma, Welbeck and Rutter.
Dunk? Van Hecke? Baleba? Tell us who Brighton's nailed-on starters arepublished at 09:05 17 July
09:05 17 July
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With so many incomings at Brighton already this summer, along with a number of players returning from loan spells, BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast team believes Fabian Hurzeler could have quite the "headache" when it comes to picking his starting XI for the new season.
There are still question marks over a few of the players' futures too, which adds to the difficulties in deciding who will be guaranteed a place come August.
In fact, after Wednesday's friendly win over Stoke in Spain, Hurzeler said: "The squad is quite big at the moment but I think they understand their roles. We are one step further than we were, and now we have to make decisions about selling and loaning players."
On this week's podcast, BBC Radio Sussex Brighton reporter Johnny Cantor named who he believes is mostly like to make the starting XI at the beginning of the season.
"I would probably say Bart Verbruggen. I would say initially Lewis Dunk because I think he will start. I won't necessarily say Pervis Estupinan as I'm not sure he will be there or not. I would say Carlos Baleba, Georginio Rutter, Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck.
"If they are all fit, and bearing in mind Stefanos Tzimas and Charalampos Kostoulas are coming to a new club and environment, that's how I think the attacking end will look.
"I didn't say Jan Paul van Hecke - because that would mean neither of the two new defensive signings would play - and you have got Adam Webster and Igor Julio sitting on the bench or not involved at all as well. They won't have four centre-backs."
Former Albion forward Warren Aspinall added: "I will go with three or four - Mitoma, Verbruggen and Van Hecke. I'm not even putting Carlos Baleba in there."
So who do you think are Brighton's guaranteed choices? Do you agree with Johnny and Warren's, or are there other players who should be included?
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