Brighton & Hove Albion carved a scintillating season for themselves in the Championship last season, owing to which they earned a promotion to the English top division. The Seagulls hit the right chords more often than not and owing to their second-place finish in the league table, they were handed the automatic promotion spot.
Impliedly, their main aim this season would be to ensure that they finish their season inside the rendezvous zone and keep their status of being a Premier League side intact. Chris Hughton made some astute signings over the course of the summer transfer window, with the likes of Davy Propper, Mathew Ryan, Jose Izquierdo, Markus Suttner to name a few, making a move to the Falmer Stadium.
A move for Tim Krul was also materialized during the summer transfer window, with the goalkeeper making a switch to their ranks from Newcastle United. Despite agreeing for a season-long loan move initially, Krul has signed a permanent contract with the Albion after being released by the Magpies, thus ending a 12-year association with his former club and can play against them on Sunday in the Premier League.
Krul emerged through the youth ranks of Hvv RAS, ADO Den Haag and Newcastle United before being promoted to the senior side of the Toon. During his spell with them, he accumulated plenty of experience under his belt whilst his loan moves to clubs such as Falkirk, Carlisle United and AZ. He played 185 times for Newcastle United and made his debut for his current employers in Tuesday’s EFL Cup loss at the hands of Bournemouth.
Ryan, being signed from Valencia this summer, has been Hughton’s trusted man between the sticks. Besides, he also has another quality shot-stopper in Niki Maenpaa at his disposal. However, the addition of Krul was a huge one and the Dutchman would offer strong competition for bagging a place in the starting line-up of Brighton & Hove Albion. Of late, he has failed to ink his place under the tutelage of Rafael Benitez, and no wonder why he gave his consent for a permanent move.
Apart from being a quality custodian, Krul is a custodian with immense experience and potential and a veteran like him could help Brighton in maintaining their status of being a Premier League outfit. He is someone who has proved himself time and again and it goes without saying that he would be trying to better his credentials from here on.
