According to reports, newly promoted Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion have now joined the race to sign Ligue 2’s mercurial forward Abdul Waris Majeed as manager Chris Hughton seeks more attacking reinforcements before the season starts next week.
Following their brilliant season in the Championship last season, which saw them coming dangerously close to winning the title before losing out to Newcastle United on the final day, the Falcons were swift to upgrade their artillery. They brought in Pascal Gross and Markus Suttner from relegated Bundesliga side Ingolstadt and shot stopper Mathew Ryan from La Liga side Valencia in quick succession.
However, apart from loaning in Isaiah Brown from Chelsea, who had a decent season with Huddersfield Town last term, Brighton are yet to bring in any significant reinforcement in the attacking third. Hughton knows well that despite having some potential talents in the likes of Glenn Murray and Sam Baldock, Premier League would be a totally different ball game.
And Brighton, under no condition, would want a slow start to their new campaign. Hughton is aware of budget constraints and the stature that the club has given him and unlike Newcastle United’s Rafael Benitez, he has remained quite realistic in his approaches. Waris Majeed has been proving himself in the lower leagues for quite some time now and his attributes make him a good gamble in the Premier League.
Brighton aren’t the first side to unearth his potential though. The 25-year-old Ghana international had a trial with Manchester City previously and even managed to impress them. He was at Hartpury College then and failed to get a work permit. He went to Swedish side BK Häcken instead, on a free transfer, and banged in a whopping 30 goals in 63 games.
Three seasons later, Russian side Spartak Moscow came calling and he failed to deliver in their top league scoring just once in 16 appearances. However, he was young then and more importantly a raw talent that needed polishing. Moscow loaned him off to Ligue2 side Valenciennes FC, where he managed nine goals and four assists in 16 games.
Turkish side Trabzonspor came next and Majeed tried the Super Lig too, but yet again failed to deliver at the top level. He could manage just one assist in 18 games. Ligue1 side FC Lorient took him then and this time he has managed to find some ground. Though the side got relegated last season, Majeed managed to score 23 goals and provide seven assists in 65 games over two seasons.
Lorient have made him available for around £9 million, which is quite affordable and it’s quite understandable that Brighton are facing stiff competition from Celtic, West Ham United and Fulham.
