Brighton & Hove Albion are closing in on Wigan Athletic midfielder Nick Powell next summer. According to recent reports, the Seagulls are interested in the League One ace who has previously been a target of Aston Villa during the January transfer period but a move failed to materialize due to Villa’s Financial Fair Play restrictions. It is being reported that Chris Hughton’s side also had a bid rejected for the player in January as the Latics wanted to keep their promotion hopes alive.
Powell’s contract at the DW Stadium is set to expire at the end of the season. It is highly unlikely that he will pen a new deal even if the Latics secure promotion to the Championship this season as Brighton can offer him Premier League football which might tip the scales in their favour. The 23-year-old English midfielder has featured in 33 matches for Wigan Athletic this season, scoring 12 goals and providing 4 assists in all competitions. It is also understood that Celtic are keeping tabs on the Englishman and could rival Brighton for his services.
Powell is highly versatile and can operate in a number of different positions across the midfield. Powell primarily operates as an attacking midfielder in the number 10 position but can also play as a centre-forward or as a secondary striker which makes him an ideal asset for any of his potential suitors.
The Seagulls currently find themselves in 10th place in the Premier League standings with a tally of 34 points in 29 league matches. Chris Hughton is likely to be on the lookout for an attacking option in the summer transfer period with his side just managing to score only 28 league goals so far in this campaign. The addition of Powell will undoubtedly bolster his attacking options going forward and could go a long way in helping them survive in the top tier of English football next season.
At 23, Powell still has his peak years ahead of him and Hughton could be the ideal manager to get the best out of the Englishman at the Amex Stadium. The Seagulls have the likes of Glenn Murray, Leonardo Ulloa, José Izquierdo and Pascal Groß vying of a place in Hughton’s starting eleven and the potential arrival of Powell could add more competition for places in his squad as they look to retain their Premier League lives next term.
It remains to be seen what lies ahead in the future of Powell and whether Brighton can fend off stiff competition in pursuit of the 23-year-old’s services.
