Brighton & Hove Albion moved early in the winter transfer window, reconfirming the £11million ($13.4m) signing of Diego Gomez from MLS side Inter Miami at the start of trading.
The Athletic reported on the deal in September and it was announced by the club in December, but the Paraguay midfielder’s switch only became official on January 1, after he remained with Miami for the rest of MLS’ season.
There has been a lull in significant business since then, but moves in both directions are anticipated before the window closes at 11pm on February 3.
This is what I am hearing…
It has been one-way traffic in trading between Brighton and Chelsea in recent times. At least 10 players, coaches and members of recruitment staff have moved from the Amex Stadium to Stamford Bridge since Graham Potter departed with most of his backroom team in September 2022. That includes midfielder Moises Caicedo, left-back Marc Cucurella, former head of recruitment Paul Winstanley and his successor Sam Jewell.
Chelsea academy graduate Levi Colwill had a successful season on loan at Brighton in 2022-23, and now the balance could be further redressed with the club interested in the permanent signing of another of Chelsea defender, Tosin Adarabioyo.
Brighton did not anticipate losing Igor Julio for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury sustained in the 1-1 home draw against Arsenal in early January, which required surgery.
Adarabioyo is a target for Brighton in this window (Clive Rose/Getty Images)
That has left them with only three senior central defenders: Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke and Adam Webster. Dunk, 33, has twice missed matches recently with calf injuries. Webster, 30, has a recent history of injury issues. The latest (hamstring) ruled him out from October until the recent Arsenal game, when he replaced Igor.
Van Hecke has therefore been playing 90 minutes regularly, increasing the risk of the Dutch international also picking up an injury. Tosin fits the bill as an addition capable of stepping in immediately.
The 27-year-old former Manchester City academy product has made 10 Premier League appearances this season, including seven starts, after signing from London neighbours Fulham on a free transfer last summer.
On the score sheet twice in Chelsea’s 5-0 FA Cup win against Morecambe last Saturday, Tosin’s prospects of more regular league action have been reduced by the recall of Trevoh Chalobah from a loan spell at Crystal Palace, following hamstring injuries suffered by Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.
Is Stefanos Tzimas a target?
The winter window has often been used by Brighton to grab opportunities to sign young players with the future in mind, rather than the present. This explains their interest in Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas.
The 19-year-old is currently on loan to FC Nurnberg in Bundesliga 2 from PAOK. The Greece Under-21 international has attracted attention with eight goals and two assists in 14 appearances in Germany’s second tier. Liverpool have been linked, but he will not be joining them according to The Athletic’s Liverpool correspondent James Pearce.
If Tzimas were to sign, there would be a possibility of him being loaned back out again.
There was no intention to send Ferguson out on loan in January a few months ago, even before he ended an 11-month goal drought by scoring as a substitute in a 2-2 home draw against Wolves in October.
However, Fabian Hurzeler has only used Ferguson once as a starter in the last 12 Premier League games. Seven substitute appearances over this period have produced a maximum of 18 minutes of game time, while Ferguson has missed the last four outings with a left ankle injury.
Playing regularly to regain rhythm is now regarded as the route back to form and confidence. That is unlikely to happen at the moment, with Joao Pedro, Danny Welbeck, Georginio Rutter and Julio Enciso (more on him in a moment) ahead of him in the No 9 and No 10 combinations in Hurzeler’s front line.
The trouble is that Joao Pedro and Welbeck have both suffered injury issues this season, so the issue of Ferguson’s immediate future may not be clarified until nearer the end of the window.
Ferguson could yet leave on loan this month (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Where could he go? And what Premier League options are there — with aspirations of European qualification — that wouldn’t leave Brighton looking a bit silly if he returned to form?
West Ham are the clear favourites. A temporary move to the London Stadium would reunite Ferguson with Graham Potter, who gave him his Brighton debut. Former Brighton assistant Billy Reid and coach Bruno Saltor are also on Potter’s staff. He still has a good relationship with the hierarchy after leaving for Chelsea in September 2022. They would trust Potter and his similar playing style to spark Ferguson back to life.
West Ham are currently in 13th place, five points behind Brighton in ninth and a further four points adrift of Aston Villa in seventh. Bearing in mind the congestion in the top half of the table, it is improbable that West Ham would reach Europe at Brighton’s expense.
There are additional benefits to loaning Ferguson within the Premier League rather than abroad (he is attracting widespread interest). It has become normal practice for such deals to include a loan fee, as well as a player’s wages fully covered. Foreign clubs are rarely able to compete with that financial commitment, plus goals in the Premier League tend to be valued more highly than, for example, a burst of scoring in the Eredivisie over a limited time period. That is an important factor in restoring Ferguson’s future value.
What next for Julio Enciso?
Ferguson’s situation is complicated by uncertainty surrounding Enciso. He is driven by wanting more game time. The 20-year-old Paraguay international is keen on a loan move, with Serie A side Atalanta among clubs expressing interest.
Brighton want Enciso to sign a new contract first — his current deal expires in June 2026 — but Enciso is reluctant to commit. He was recalled to the starting line-up by Hurzeler in December, following a change of mindset in training.
Enciso scored his first goal of the season as a starter in Saturday’s 4-0 FA Cup win at Norwich, but has recently been an unused substitute at home to Arsenal and in Thursday night’s win at Ipswich.
Enciso scored his first goal of the season at Norwich (David Horton/Getty Images)
The club believe everybody benefits from a new contract. They still see potential growth in Enciso and do not want to lose out on that if a loan goes well. Enciso would also be protected if a loan doesn’t work out, or he gets injured.
From the perspective of Enciso and his camp, a new deal would make it harder for him to get a permanent move in the future and to maximise the financial benefits of such a move, because the asking price would be more prohibitive. There is a balance to be struck and the stand-off is currently unresolved.
Feyenoord are set to sign the Poland midfielder. At first glance it seems like a no-brainer to sell, recouping part of the £6million fee paid to Lech Poznan in the summer of 2020.
Moder is well down Hurzeler’s midfield pecking order. He came on in the last minute at Ipswich, adding to three other fleeting late appearances in the Premier League from the bench since November.
Moder has been unlucky. Serious knee damage sustained in April 2022 kept him out for 19 months. The decision over his future is not straightforward, because of his versatility and his attitude.
He can play in several different positions, plus he is a well-liked member of the squad who never complains when he is left out. Ultimately though, a move is likely to be seen to be in the best interests of both the player and the club.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
