Reports have emerged linking Queens Park Rangers to Brighton And Hove Albion defender, Uwe Hünemeier. The 32-year-old’s contract with the Seagulls is set to run out this summer and the Rangers could snap him up for free. Ian Holloway is looking for replacements for Josh Onuoha and Hünemeier is a prime candidate.
Albion have enjoyed Hünemeier’s services for over 3 years now and have allowed him to feature in 36 senior team games overall. 10 of them were registered this season, including the 6 out of the 7 domestic cup games.
The veteran plays as a backup option to Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy and it has always been the case. He made his Premier League debut this season against Everton in mid-October.
Prior to his time at England, Hünemeier spent all his playing career at Germany. He is a graduate of the prestigious Borussia Dortmund youth academy but could never really into the first team. He made 150 appearances for the B side and netted the ball on 19 occasions. Later he appeared in defence for Paderborn 07 and Energie Cottbus in total 155 games.
Uwe Hünemeier is not the most prolific in his duties but has always proven to be an ideal role player. He fills in whenever required and has managed to rack up decent top-flight stat line.
He could easily feature in the starting XI of one of the lower division English clubs and QPR should definitely make an official approach.
However, the question lies in whether Albion should be so quick to let go of him. Chris Hughton has made an inspiring run in the Premier League after leading the team to the second place finish in the Championship last campaign.
His team are currently in the 14th spot of the points table and are 5 points clear from the bottom three. The Seagulls came alive in the late stages of the 2017/18 campaign to place themselves in a suitable position.
The 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur and the earlier 2-1 triumph over Arsenal are clear indication of their fighting spirit. However, instead of really selling players or losing them to contract disagreements, Hughton should be signing more players.
The English top-flight is no joke and it demands a fully fit squad. We have seen how Southampton and Crystal Palace have struggled this season due to the loss of some of their key players to injury.
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If Albion have a better replacement lined up, then well and good. If not, then Hünemeier should be offered at the very least a year-long extension. Having just Connor Goldson will not cut it in the long run.
