Brighton & Hove Albion

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Players like Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund are already suffering from hamstring injuries two weeks before the season even starts - and they say the modern preparation regimes are better, safer and more scientific!

They probably are better. At least the players do not have to go through some of the borderline sadistic routines that previous generations did. Back then, after a decent length of summer break, pre-season meant working incredibly hard over a short period of time to get yourself back in top condition fast.

Sprinting up and down gigantic sand dunes against the clock until many players were physically sick was de rigueur, alongside other road runs and track work.

Here is the weird part: I used to look forward to that, the way a class swot looks forward to exams. Being smaller, lighter and a committed long-distance runner all my young life, even before I became a pro footballer, it was, if not exactly a piece of cake, then certainly much easier for me than most of the rest of the team.

I have asked many modern managers what they would prefer to do in a perfect world during their pre-season. The most common answer is "just about anything other than what we are forced to do now!"

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Brighton have agreed a £5.9m deal to allow 33-year-old Germany midfielder Pascal Gross to join Borussia Dortmund. (Guardian), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Image source, Brighton & Hove Albion FC x Percival

Brighton have unveiled their new away kit for the 2024-25 season.

The club say the shirt has been designed as "an iconic refresh of the university gold 2013-14 away kit with navy blue pinstripe detailing and navy sleeve edging", while it also features a wide stripe of white along the side.

Albion also confirmed that, in a change from previous years, the 2024-25 away strip will not become their third kit for the 2025-26 season.

This new shirt will first be worn in Brighton's friendly against QPR on 3 August.

Image source, Getty Images

Pat Nevin, former Chelsea, Everton and Scotland winger writing in his Football Extra newsletter:

The pre-season friendlies are in full swing and let's be straight about this, the players generally hate these games, whatever they say.

They clearly haven't had enough rest in the summer, it is a grind getting your body back into peak shape, especially if the accumulated injuries from last season haven’t been allowed to fully recover.

The games themselves are weird affairs, where you would like to win but that is nowhere near the most important thing. Fitness, integrating new players, possibly a new manager and sometimes a new system are each more important. You also know full well that it is a hotch-potch of a team selection to give players minutes. The fans, mass media and social media will read far too much into every game and every performance.

From within the team itself, there are different motivations. A young or new player being given his first chance will be racing about like an overexcited spaniel. Other experienced players will be easing themselves back into it, the primary concern in their minds is to be fit and healthy come the first weekend of the Premier League season.

‌Deep down they don't worry if they get thumped by Celtic or DC United on their US tours, nobody at Chelsea or Aston Villa will remember or care about these results in two weeks' time.

‌Unless of course you are a DC or indeed Celtic fan. The Celts just beat Chelsea and Man City. Now that is impressive pre-season form or is that just Scottish bias.

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Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Brighton & Hove Albion

Remember the picture of the Japan dressing room after their victory over Germany at the World Cup in Qatar?

The picture went viral because the Japanese contingent tidied up after themselves, rather than leave it to the cleaners.

Well, not to be outdone, I was sent this picture by someone at Brighton after their pre-season victory over Tokyo Verdy on Sunday. They even left a shirt as a souvenir.

I do not actually know who did the tidying - and if I am being honest, cleaning up after yourself (collective) should be the norm.

But it is a good thing they did it, at the end of what seems to have been an excellent tour for the Seagulls - certainly results-wise, given they won both matches quite easily under new boss Fabian Hurzeler.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Brighton's 4-2 win over Tokyo Verdy during the club's tour of Japan.

Here are some of your comments:

Simon: We look more direct and stronger going forward but there is work to be done in defence, particularly against quick breaks. We look to have a far stronger squad already and the signings so far seem to be great additions. I would love to hold on to Pascal Gross one more season and I am hoping that we can start to integrate Lewis Dunk's successor.

Charlie: We didn't play quite as well as we did against Kashima. Defending was a tad shaky overall but not too bad. One of the standout players for me was Yankuba Minteh and I hope he starts against Everton next month.

Eltel: Quietly confident for the new season. Why? These players were given the opportunity to express themselves without some of the major pros on tour. Liked Facundo Buonanotte in the more central role. Valentin Barco is improving, Minteh looks like he could be a good investment and the pick for me was Amario Cozier-Duberry.

Paul: I've seen many friendlies over the years with most proving to be a disappointment but this is the first time I've seen youngsters really trying to impress to stake a place in the squad. With so much quality available, the new coach is going to have a headache deciding who will make the grade.

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler is confident that winger Kaoru Mitoma will be fully fit at the start of the 2024-25 Premier League season.

Mitoma missed the final three months of last season because of a back problem, but the winger has returned to action during Brighton's pre-season tour of his native Japan.

Speaking after Sunday's 4-2 win against Tokyo Verdy, Hurzeler told the club website:, external "Kaoru Mitoma is not 100% but he has now played two very good games and he was training every session.

"He is trying to improve his physical condition. On the pitch we saw that he has unbelievable skills. We still have three weeks to go, so I think it will be improved day-by-day.

"I'm convinced and I'm sure that Kaoru will be 100% when the season starts."

The Seagulls comfortably won both of their friendly matches in Japan, scoring nine goals in the process.

Hurzeler added: "We've had a really good week's training, working very hard in tough conditions. The players have put a lot into training and we've had two good matches against good opponents.

"It's been great for team bonding and we've also been able to enjoy much of what Tokyo has to offer, and the players have embraced the Japanese culture."

Brighton finished their pre-season tour of Japan with a 4-2 win over Tokyo Verdy on Sunday.

Goals from Jan Paul van Hecke, Yankuba Minteh, Simon Adingra and Jeremy Sarmiento saw the Seagulls make it back-to-back victories having beaten Kashima Antlers on Wednesday.

What did you learn from this game, Albion fans?

Let us know your thoughts, external

David Lockwood
BBC Sport Editorial Sustainability Lead

Image source, Getty Images

Los Angeles or Chesterfield? San Diego or Salford?

The pre-season destinations of 20 Premier League clubs may be varied, but the issue remains the same - the impact of so many flights.

Half (10) of the clubs have flown to the United States for friendlies; three have travelled to the Far East and the rest are in Europe and the UK.

Manchester United's pre-season schedule see them flying almost 13,000 miles playing fixtures in Norway, Scotland, and across the US. Chelsea and Tottenham are also expected to fly in excess of 12,000 miles.

In contrast, Everton will fly the least, with just one fixture outside the UK in the Republic of Ireland.

Spurs and Newcastle also played an exhibition fixture in May - three days after the season finished - for which they both flew to Melbourne, Australia, a game Alan Shearer described as “madness”. Add in those air miles and both teams will have travelled in excess of 30,000 air miles in the close-season, equivalent to more than once around the globe, to play in non-competitive matches.

Newcastle and Spurs both have a target to be Net Zero by 2030, while Manchester United and Chelsea are in process of establishing an emissions reduction plan.

Net Zero requires the reduction and removal of all 'non-essential emissions' - so are these games essential?

Wycombe's David Wheeler is a leading sustainability campaigner in football and told BBC Sport: "These games are only necessary in the sense that the clubs want to make more money and grow their fan base".

He added: "The vast majority of players don't want to be away from their families, they don't want to be travelling around the world after a full slog of a season. They're overworked and injuries have gone through the roof, so there is a synergy between player welfare and planetary welfare."

An estimated travelling group of 30 flying 12,864 air miles business class generates around 200 tonnes of CO2 - the equivalent of 500,000 miles driven by an average petrol car, or the entire annual emissions for a year of 16 people in the UK.

Tottenham said it is "committed to minimising its environmental impact" in all its operations, "which will take time and effort". The club says it "ensures" all teams travel "as sustainably as possible throughout the season". It "measures, manages and reports on travel emissions" and will offsets "where possible."

Read more about the Premier League's pre-season air miles here

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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At Fabian Hurzeler's unveiling as Brighton manager last month, technical director David Weir spoke about the club's pre-season trip to Japan and how it was a chance to grow the club's brand.

The venue is no coincidence given Kaoru Mitoma's popularity in the country.

The sight of Tokyo-based Brighton fans decked out in club colours is evidence of how far the club has come since the dark days of two decades ago, when it appeared it might go out of existence.

Brighton have an open training session tomorrow with 3,000 tickets sold.

They conclude their trip with a clash against J League side Tokyo Verdy on Sunday.

Image source, Brighton and Hove Albion

With Billy Gilmour's future up in the air and Yasin Ayari yet to make his name in the Brighton squad, we asked what you would do with the two midfielders.

Here are some of your comments:

Kevin: Billy Gilmour must stay. He gets man of the match most weeks and makes the midfield tick. The £8m offer from Napoli is derisory. It is nowhere near his true value.

Richard: Loan Ayari out to West Brom, Hull, etc.

Simon: Whatever happens don't sell Billy Gilmour!

Phil: We should keep Gilmour. The Napoli offer was insulting and he has been an essential part of our midfield.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

As Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler continues to settle into his new role, he will have to decide whether Yasin Ayari plays a role in the Seagulls 2024-25 Premier League campaign, or if the midfielder is to be loaned out for a third spell.

The 20-year-old, who signed from AIK Solna in January 2023, was likely an investment for the future at £3.5m but was also rumoured to be the replacement for Moises Caicedo.

At the time, technical director David Weir said he would "need time to settle here and acclimatise to the Premier League" but "is a versatile and technical midfield player."

He was given his debut in a 5-0 FA Cup win over Grimsby and has made three Premier League appearances, including a first start against Aston Villa in May 2023.

Ayari joined Championship outfit Coventry City on a season-long loan that summer, and while he showed glimpses of promise for Mark Robins' side, he spent the majority of games on the bench and unused.

He played 13 times for the Sky Blues, scoring one goal, before his loan was terminated in January and he made the switch to Blackburn Rovers. Weir facilitated the move to Lancashire to "give him more opportunities to play" and he made a total of 11 appearances there as Rovers fought for survival.

So what next for the Sweden international?

Ayari travelled to Japan as part of Hurzeler's 31-man pre-season squad and netted in the 5-1 win over Kashima Antlers on Wednesday.

If he was hoping to make an impression on the new boss then his calmly executed goal was the perfect way to do so.

And although his loan spells have failed to deliver so far, a third move is most likely to be the outcome. Brighton's midfield boasts first-team starters in Karou Mitoma, Solly March, Pascal Gross and Billy Gilmour, so competition would be tough for a player that is still developing.

But should Gilmour leave the Amex for Napoli this summer, then a slot for Ayari may just open and it could be his chance to shine.

What do you suggest Brighton fans? Will another season out on loan benefit the youngster, or should Hurzeler keep him for development and squad depth?

Let us know here, external

We asked for your opinions on Brighton's 5-1 pre-season victory against J-League side Kashima Antlers.

Here are some of your responses:

Martin: Excellent performances by everyone, Barco really stood out, as did Minteh and Cozier-Duberry but a great all-round display only spoiled by the offside and handball goal they scored near the end. There’s so much competition for places this season, it’s looking good!

Norm: Watched the game on live streaming and we looked fluid going forward, particularly in the second half. Cozier-Duberry and Sarmiento were very sharp and took their goals well. I can see why Arsenal were gutted that Cozier-Duberry turned down a new contract to join us.

Ryoka: I watched the game in Tokyo. Mitoma's dribbling was sharp after his injury, and also other players played well resulting in five goals. Looking forward to coming 24-25 season!

David: Opposition poor defensively but very promising signs for Brighton with a host of talent on display. Lots of speed and an eye for goal - there will be competition for places this season and that is always a good thing.

Jason: Solid first half, Mitoma started to look good as the half went on. Interesting choice having Baleba as centre-back, but he did OK. Minteh looked promising. Second half was a far more attacking formation and some really good movement for the goals. Cozier-Duberry... why did Arsenal let him go? Sarmiento has to stay with us this term to try and break through.

Tim: Very exciting times, our attacking options look fabulous for this season and I’ve got a great feeling about Hurzeler, he seems calm and composed with the whole team looking sharp and ready for action. Can’t wait for the season to start!

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton midfielder Mats Wieffer is close to returning to action after arriving at the club with a thigh injury.

Brighton paid £25m for the Dutch international but he sat out the 5-1 win over Kashima Antlers earlier today.

Wieffer is described as being "very close" to playing.

Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour also missed out in Tokyo, although there was never a plan for him to be involved after featuring at Euro 2024.

Adam Webster and Jack Hinshelwood had "minor issues" while Igor Julio also missed out due to injury.

Image source, Getty Images

New boss Fabian Hurzeler was disappointed Brighton could not keep a clean sheet in their 5-1 friendly victory against Japanese side Kashima Antlers but said "there were quite a lot of positive things" in the display.

Speaking to the club's official website, the German said: "The goal in the end makes me a little bit, not angry, but a little bit disappointed because I think a clean sheet every time is good, especially for Jason (Steele), but there's still things to improve and we will continue tomorrow.

"It's a win, and this win gives you self confidence. I don't think everything was perfect - how we played and how we defended.

"But what I see is a team who suffered together, who showed a togetherness on the pitch. So when we lost the ball everyone did counter pressing and got behind the ball as quickly as possible."

He also praised new signing Amario Cozier-Duberry, who scored twice in the victory after joining the club earlier this month, saying: "Today was a great performance for him. His performance was not only about scoring goals, but the most important thing is how we work against the ball and how he does counter pressing when we lose the ball.

"I see a lot of positive things, not only from him, also from the whole team."

The Seagulls continue their trip in Japan with a game against Tokyo Verdy on Sunday.

A huge win for Brighton to open their tour in Japan, but what did you learn from Fabian Hurzeler's first game in charge?

Let us know your thoughts on the match here, external

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber says the club has to "carry on being smarter" if they want to "compete financially" in the Premier League.

After securing European football for the first time in 2022-23, Brighton finished 11th under Roberto de Zerbi last season.

Barber says his "vision" under new manager Fabian Hurzeler is to "maintain a top-10 position" in the English top flight.

"We very much enjoyed playing in the Europa League last season - it was a great experience for the club," Barber told the media during Brighton's pre-season tour in Japan. "It was the first time in our 123 year history that we have played in that competition.

"The Premier League is the most competitive league in the world, so we have to work particularly hard to maintain a top-10 position. That is our vision: to be a top-10 Premier League club on a regular basis.

"So we have to carry on being smarter. We are never going to be able to compete in terms of huge football club brands like Manchester United or some of the bigger names like Liverpool.

"We have to use the resources we do have. We can't waste any time, money or energy. We have to keep competing in the best way we can and we are confident we can do that.

"But there are always bumps in the road. It is never a straight line of progress and it hasn't been through the past 12 years - but we have built resilience, learned a lot from last season, and now we are very excited to go into another Premier League season.

"It is a very exciting time to be a fan of the club."

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has revealed that Kaoru Mitoma will be a "very important player" in his squad and has also shared his hopes that the Seagulls' pre-season tour will create "lifelong memories" for the Japan international.

The Seagulls are preparing to take on J1 League side Kashima Antlers at Japan National Stadium on Wednesday (11:00 BST) before facing Tokyo Verdy on Saturday (10:30 BST).

The games will mark Mitoma's return to action, after the winger missed most of the second half of last season through injury.

"He is a player who can make a difference and decide an equal game with one action, by dribbling or shooting," Hurzeler said. "So, he is a very important player in my thoughts.

"I hope that this week will be special for him. We will try to give him everything he needs, especially this week.

"All of the team are here to play for him and to make this week a good memory in his life."

The German manager also spoke about his desire to implement a "winning culture" at Amex Stadium, stating: "The club has already created its values. These are values we will try to continue.

"On top of that, I want to create a culture of winning. We want to challenge the establishment and bring higher standards in our training because winning needs a lot of work invested.

"I want to build this culture of winning."

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

It isn't quiet in one specific part of the major football clubs - the acquisitions department.

I know that because I was once the acquisitions department - well me and the manager mostly. While each player returned from holidays like a bronzed Adonis, we were cooped up in a small darkened room, beavering the daylight hours away like vampires.

There is plenty of guesswork in the media and a fair bit of leaking from the players and their people, but the clubs usually try to keep their transfer moves as quiet as possible.

If word gets out that a player is available, they know they might lose him to another club or else the price will increase as a bidding war erupts.

‌These are high stakes games and many are impressed by those who gamble and go early.

Manchester City have always been good enough, and let's be honest wealthy enough, to be able to do this well.

The problem is that some clubs are trying to do the same thing and are ending up paying top dollar for less able players, because they haven't done their due diligence in the market.

This is another area where the use of data, or maybe over-reliance on pure data, comes into play - feed all of the numbers in, let the technology do the crunching, and out comes the answer.

The problem is that everyone else has got the same or similar data.

What is needed, of course, is good human knowledge and the vision to aid the use of the information they have got. This is why these departments should be busy just now, they shouldn't just be doing deals which are admittedly very complex legal and financial documents these days.

Even more time should be spent on ensuring the new £75m player hasn't got a hidden weakness in his game or even the odd skeleton in his closet.

Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra Newsletter

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton are edging closer to signing Paraguay midfielder Diego Gomez from Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.

Gomez, 21, will be part of his country's Olympic squad later this month, so he would not be able to link up with Albion until after the tournament.

However, sources say talks over a deal are close to completion, with the fee expected to be about $18m (£13.9m).

Meanwhile, though Brighton have rejected Napoli's £8m bid for midfielder Billy Gilmour, sources say it was regarded as an initial approach.

This suggests the Serie A side believe a transfer can be completed and will return with another offer.