Brighton have put £100m price tags on 23-year-old Brazil forward Joao Pedro and 21-year-old Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba to fend off interest from Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea. (Talksport), external
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Image source, Getty ImagesBrighton will sign winger Tom Watson from Sunderland when the summer transfer window opens.
The 18-year-old will join the club for a fee of £10m on 1 June on a four-year deal that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2029.
Watson made his Championship debut in April 2023 and has featured 17 times for the Black Cats, scoring two goals.
He has represented England at under-17 and under-18 level, making his debut for the latter in October 2023.
Brighton technical director David Weir said: "Tommy is an exciting young talent who we have been tracking for a significant period of time.
"He's had an excellent breakthrough season with Sunderland, and we are looking forward to him joining us in the summer.
"However, for now his full focus is on helping them finish their season as strongly as possible."
Image source, Getty ImagesBrighton boss Fabian Hurzeler says 20-year-old Brajan Gruda will be given the chance to "step into the spotlight" after revealing that starting XI mainstay Georginio Rutter has picked up an ankle injury which "doesn't look great" and could put him on the sidelines long term.
Gruda scored for Germany Under-21s during the international break and was handed a 45-minute runout in the Seagulls' FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Nottingham Forest.
The attacking midfielder joined Brighton from Mainz in August 2024, and Hurzeler was quizzed on the development he has shown since completing his move in his news conference before Albion host Aston Villa on Wednesday.
"He made a great impression in the last game against Nottingham Forest. He had a big impact on our game - he was very fluent, he defended quite well, he was very active and he created a lot of chances for us.
"I'm happy with his development so far - and now there is the chance for him to step into the spotlight, which I'm sure he is really looking forward to.
"It's the physical side of his game that he needs to improve. The intensity is what all of the new players we have this season need to adapt to. They have all said it themselves.
"It's the same procedures for Brajan. He is adapting, training hard and trying to keep improving every day.
"Some players will be ready a little bit earlier than others who will be ready a little bit later, but I'm sure he has the potential to help us. Hopefully we will see that for the rest of the season."
Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Premier League game against Aston Villa at Amex Stadium (kick-off 19:45 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Georginio Rutter has picked up an ankle injury and Adam Webster is dealing with a muscle injury, which both "don't look great". It is "possible" that the duo could be out long term.
He added: "It's another chance for Brajan Gruda, Matt O'Riley and Eiran Cashin, so I see it more as an opportunity. I will never complain about injuries. Georginio and Adam were in great shape, but that's football and we have to deal with it."
Hurzeler said there are no worries about other players having to step up: "All of these players that haven't played that much this season have big motivation and big energy. It's these kind of characters that we need for the rest of the season."
The quick turnaround from Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final defeat by Nottingham Forest is a "great opportunity for a comeback". He explained: "A setback and a disappointment doesn't feel great, but I always say the feeling of a comeback is always greater, so we have to work for that."
He believes the Seagulls have proven they are "a team that can stick together" and he thinks they have "a big chance" of getting back to winning ways against Aston Villa.
On Unai Emery's team: "It's a duel that we know will be a big fight. They are a very mature and experienced team. We know that they want to go to Europe. They are still in three competitions and going for a title, so I think they have had a great season."
Villa have "quality individual players", such as Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, who can "help every team in the world and definitely make a big impact".
He is expecting his side to play with "big maturity and intensity" and he is looking for his players to be "more ruthless" than they were against Forest.
Brighton have the opportunity to record four consecutive home wins in the Premier League for the first time, but they will have to be "consistent and good in every phase to break the statistic".
When asked whether Brighton having the opportunity to go fourth in the with a win surprises him, he responded: "Why should that surprise me? We've always been a club that doesn't want to hide behind our ambitions or be seen as the small club. Although we don't have the financial budget of other teams, you can still play a good season and fight for Europe if you stick together as a team."
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Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on Brighton's penalty shootout defeat by Nottingham Forest in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Here are some of your comments:
Mick: We weren't good enough - we looked jaded and lacking in energy. Too many passes went astray. If we had played with the intensity of the final 10 minutes of extra time, we would have won. Let's reset and concentrate on the league and getting into Europe.
David: The best team on the night won. Too much strolling around and standing still with the ball. You never score by continually passing the ball backwards. Georginio Rutter's injury certainly affected the game. Disappointing but Europe is still possible.
Fran: Not our best performance. Not sure why but we always seem lethargic after any international break or any break come to that. Not just this game but in previous seasons as well. Concentrate now on finishing as high as possible.
Chris: Kudos to Nuno Espirito Santo for the way he prepared Forest. They made the Seagulls look bad every time we managed to get into the final third of the pitch. Too many poor passes and too many speculative no-look passes that were often picked off by a Forest player. I have to wonder if we've got the player depth to make it back to European football this season.
Fred: Was inevitable we would go out once it got to pens. Feels like a real missed opportunity. We have two huge games in the next week so the boys need to bounce back quickly.
Sarah: Gutted. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Image source, Getty ImagesBrighton manager Fabian Hurzeler speaking to the BBC after today's penalty shootout: "We were not resilient enough, not good enough and that is why we didn't win the game today. It is important that we analyse the reasons internally and it is important that we show a good reaction and try and improve on small things."
On Nottingham Forest's set-up making it difficult for his side: "They sit in a low block and wait for transitional moments - that is their game. It is the game we expected because they never do anything else. They are successful like this and it is tough to play against them. We were unable to find solutions against them, especially in the first half. We were not on our highest level today."
On how the players are feeling that missed penalties: "How should a player feel when he misses a penalty? They are disappointed but I take responsibility for the penalties. They are young players and will learn from it. They didn't shoot that bad, the Forest goalkeeper made two impressive saves. That is penalties."
On not letting the result affect the remainder of the season: "It is important that we don't let it affect us and we have to show a reaction but first of all we are disappointed. We have to show a reaction and stick together."
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Have your say on Brighton's performance
What did you make of Nottingham Forest's display?
Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies
Image source, Getty ImagesBrighton's Giorginio Rutter says winning the FA Cup would be an "unbelievable" achievement for the club.
The Seagulls face Nottingham Forest on Saturday in the quarter-finals knowing victory would see them reach a Wembley semi-final for the second time in three years, and a third time in six, after losing to Manchester City in 2019 and to Manchester United in 2023.
"Of course we are ready," Rutter told BBC Radio Sussex.
"We can have something very good at the end of the season. But, we have to stay mature and played how we did in the last game.
"We have to take it game by game because both are very important. We will see at the end but I think the FA Cup can be a very good thing."
Brighton have never won a major trophy but Rutter believes the team is in "good shape" as they prepare for the run-in to the end of the season.
"Everybody knows the FA Cup and for Brighton I think to win a cup like this is unbelievable," he added
"We believe, if it's working it's good and if it's not we try again next season and the season after. Now, we are in a good shape and we need to stay like this.
"The fans know it's important for everybody. They know it's a special day and after that we can go to Wembley so I trust my fans."
Brighton will see this as the chance to get revenge for their 7-0 defeat at the City Ground at the start of February.
I am sure some people felt the wheels had come off for Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler after that result, but instead his side have bounced back and gone on a great run of six wins and one draw.
Sometimes getting thrashed like that can have a positive effect on a team, and clear the air.
I remember losing 7-1 at Blackburn Rovers in October 1992, when I was a centre-half for Norwich City, but we had a crate of beer on the coach home to put things right and we were still top of the Premier League table at Christmas. I did get moved up front after that, though.
As for Nottingham Forest, they are the only team left in the FA Cup where I could understand it if they rested players this weekend because of their league position.
They play Manchester United on Tuesday and the finish line is in sight for my boyhood team to finish third and secure Champions League football.
That is why it is disappointing to hear about Chris Wood getting injured while playing for New Zealand this week.
Hopefully it is not serious, but it is a blow for Forest if they are without their main number nine for any length of time.
Their gameplan will not change without Wood - they will sit deep and attack on the break. It is just a question on whether it is their A team who face Brighton or not, and my hunch is that Nuno Espirito Santo will make a few changes.
Sutton's prediction: 2-0
Brighton and Nottingham Forest will meet in the FA Cup for the first time when Nuno Espirito Santo's side travel to Amex Stadium for Saturday's quarter-final. Will Brighton still be feeling the scar tissue of February's 7-0 Premier League drubbing, though?
Former Albion and Forest striker Glenn Murray tells The Football News Show how impressed he has been with Brighton's response to that defeat at the City Ground and why this cup tie will allow both teams more freedom to attack...
Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer
Ninad Barbadikar
Football tactics writer
Fabian Hurzeler had big shoes to fill at Amex Stadium following Roberto de Zerbi's exit, but the Seagulls are continuing to soar in the Premier League.
The young German's arrival has seen him implement some key principles, one being overloading the opposition's last line of defence with attackers and midfielders.
"You occupy opponents more if you have more players in the last line," he said.
"Then you create more dynamism with deep runs and how many players can create deep runs."
Image source, Premier LeagueThis bold approach to occupying defenders helps Brighton push defensive lines deeper and keep their opposition pinned as well. Increasing their numbers inside the penalty area means that the crosser has a number of options and contact is bound to be made by one of the players attacking.
One of the wingers will move inward and join the attacking line, and one of the two midfielders in Brighton's 4-2-3-1 formation will also push up to provide support in the box. Their match-winner against Manchester City earlier this season was one such example, where Matt O'Riley burst past Rico Lewis into the City box to score.
Brighton's underlying data from last campaign under De Zerbi suggested their style of play was most similar to Pep Guardiola's City - but Hurzeler's approach has taken them away from that, with more directness introduced in possession.
The average Brighton possession sequence is about 3.5 passes, making them one of the more dynamic sides in the Premier League.
Whereas under De Zerbi they possessed the ball a lot more in their own third to bait the opposition press, Brighton are now happy to play long balls when necessary to reach the final third, win second balls and then move the ball centrally or funnel it wide for cutback opportunities or crosses.
Hurzeler has spoken of the importance of courage from players executing his football and, in Jan Paul van Hecke, he has one of the finest ball-playing centre-backs in the Premier League.
The Dutchman is the key at the back for Brighton to break through opposition lines and then find his team-mates in space, who will progress the attack further.
Van Hecke has accumulated the fifth highest number of pass attempts from open-play in 2024-25, attempting 1,773 passes in total, underlining his importance for Hurzeler.
Image source, Getty ImagesBBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray has been looking ahead to Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Brighton on the latest episode of Shut Up And Show More Football: "Nuno has a love for the competition. He's talked about how they were the only English games he could watch growing up. It does hold a special place.
"I saw how relieved he was getting past Exeter. Also last year, getting past Blackpool and Bristol City, he was relieved as it was progress in the cup.
"It's undoubtedly a difficult game for Forest. Brighton are improved lately. It's a huge game for Forest and they haven't come along often in the past 30 years or so."
Forest - who last won the FA Cup in 1959 - thrashed Brighton 7-0 in the Premier League in February and Fray added: "You have to praise Brighton's response to it. They have been brilliant since. For that reason, and because they will be completely fired up looking for revenge, it gives them a huge chance to put things right in front of their fans. In a strange way, it makes it more difficult for Forest."
Johnny Cantor, who covers Brighton for BBC Radio Sussex, joined the Forest podcast and referenced the 7-0 defeat, stating: "It has been the catalyst for Brighton's recent good form. It was a day, evening or 48-hour period when they started to look at themselves and said 'why did that happen?' and 'it can't happen again'.
"Fabian Hurzeler reportedly came in on Monday morning when the players came back in and he got the formation sheet and literally burned it in front of the players to say: 'That didn't work, forget it, we are moving on now.'
"He has learned from that, and the team has. I think it has given them that impetus and catalyst to really kick on and they are unbeaten since.
"They have the appetite back again and have reached the semi-finals twice in the past six seasons. They have got a taste for it. They want to win something. They believe now their squad is probably the strongest it has ever been. And with it being so open this season with a lot of the big boys out, it presents an interesting opportunity."
Image source, Getty ImagesEarlier, we asked which player has appeared in the most Premier League wins for Brighton.
The answer is Lewis Dunk, who has been involved in 80 victories.
Image source, Getty ImagesFabian Hurzeler says he does not think about the elevated status that comes with being a head coach in the Premier League as he just wants to continue to live a normal life.
The 32-year-old was spotted while at home for a days in the international break by a Brighton supporter, who went on to chat to him about this weekend's upcoming FA Cup quarter-final.
In Friday's media conference, Hurzeler was asked about whether his life has changed since moving to Brighton from Bundesliga II side St Pauli because of the prominence of English football worldwide.
"I don't think about things like that as it is part of the business and you have to accept it," replied Hurzeler. "My life doesn't change because I want to stay as the same Fabian I have always been.
"I always want to be that guy who is available for my players, who is the biggest supporter of my players, embraces challenges and works hard for the club so that they can be successful.
"That is how I want to be seen. I am not thinking about whether I am being recognised.
"I don't think I can't do that or go there because I just want to live my life. I am obsessed with football and that is why I try to focus on these things."
