Brighton & Hove Albion could renew interest in the “excellent” centre-back this winter, with Fabian Hürzeler looking to strengthen his defense in a number of areas, according to Sky Sports.
Brighton is going through a tough time
Life at the American Express Stadium could hardly have started better for Hürzeler, and his team was flying high in the Premier League table after impressive back-to-back wins against Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth.
However, the Seagulls have been brought back down to earth in the past few weeks, now without a win in their last seven matches, and fans will be particularly disappointed with the 3-1 home defeat against rivals Crystal Palace.
Hürzeler’s side are still well in the game Premier Leaguesit inside the top half, but the manager is likely to be a little worried about their defensive record, having kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 games in all competitions.
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As such, Brighton could consider bolstering their defensive options in the January transfer window, and Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has now dropped an update on some of the targets they have in mind.
Most notably, Thomas reports that The Seagulls could make a move for PSV Eindhoven’s Olivier Boscagliwho could be brought in as a long-term successor to Lewis Dunk.
“Brighton are looking to continue some ideas from the summer, mainly at right-back and also a new left-sided centre-back.
“The problem at right back mainly came from the fact that Tariq Lamptey and Joel Veltman their contract expires in the summer, so they can talk to foreign clubs from January 1.
“One player they were looking for in the right back position this summer is Andrei Ratiu in Rayo Vallecano, but no agreement was reached. This is the profile of the player they are looking for.
“PSV central defender Olivier Boscagli was a target in the last window and they could go down that road again as they look for a long-term successor to 33-year-old captain Lewis Dunk.”
Boscagli is showing promising signs at PSV
During the last year, the Frenchman impressed with a number of key indicators, ranking in 91st percentile for interceptions in the 90th percentile, and 99th percentile for assists, compared to his peers at the position, highlighting his ability in both fields.
Members of the Dutch media have praised The 27-year-old as “excellent”, especially in possession, which could make him a perfect fit for this Brighton side, given that there is such a strong focus on possession.
However, the defender’s decision-making without the ball has been questioned, suggesting he would have to improve to replace Dunk long-term.
The Brighton captain is now 33 and is probably in the later stages of his career, and it is important that Hürzeler brings in the right man to replace him, given how vital he has been to the Seagulls over the years.
