Premier League has been shaken to the core following the terrific stance of Everton and Huddersfield Town in the transfer market. Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the Terriers have done some brilliant business this summer despite being the last side to gain promotion. And it has certainly sent a message to Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion, who will have a tough time not pushing the panic button now.
The Seagulls were the first side to cross the long bridge into the top-flight football and also among the first of the promoted sides to get in the big signing of Pascal Gross from Ingolstadt. But, they have geared down since then and apart from the arrival of Mathew Ryan from La Liga side Valencia, manager Chris Hughton has mostly been a spectator making it all the more frustrating for the fans.
However, if recent reports are to be believed then the Seagulls have now joined the race for Ligue 1 striker Martin Braithwaite as they look to get in more firepower to support their star scorers Glenn Murray and Sam Baldock. While defending in numbers is something most newly promoted sides have found going their way, scoring has proved to be a difficult nut to crack.
And a short glance at the last campaigns of Middlesbrough and Hull City would highlight that in particular. Hughton, who has previously managed in the top tier, knows its essence and his pursuit of Braithwaite reflects that. The 26-year-old Toulouse forward is on the move as per reports, and a move to Premier League would be quite alluring.
However, Brighton aren’t expected to have it easy as other Premier League sides like Bournemouth and Southampton have also been keeping tabs on the player. The Cherries have already brought in Jermain Defoe from Sunderland, and with the departure of Joshua King coming close, they would need reinforcements up front. Southampton sold Jay Rodriguez to West Bromwich Albion and would need to fill up the void although the inclusion of young Sam Gallagher could prevent them from splashing the cash.
Braithwaite, who has scored 12 times last season and managed three assists in all competitions, is rated at £12 million, an amount pretty much affordable by all the sides. His agility in the attacking third and brilliant finishing skills have also caught the attention of Bundesliga side FC Koln.
The youth product of Danish side FC Midtjylland, the forward was a fan favourite in Esbjerg fB where he played five seasons before Toulouse picked him up in 2013. Since then, Braithwaite has played around 150 games, scoring 40 goals and assisting 13 times.
