Brighton and Hove Albion They could renew their interest in an 'excellent' centre-back this winter, with Fabian Horzler keen to strengthen his defense in a number of areas, according to Sky Sports.
Brighton is going through a difficult phase
Life at American Express Stadium couldn't have gotten off to a better start for Horzler, and his team was flying high in the sky Premier League table After successive impressive victories against Manchester City and Bournemouth.
However, the Seagulls have come back down to earth over the past few weeks and are now winless in their last seven games, and fans will be particularly disappointed with a 3-1 defeat at home to rivals Crystal Palace.
Horzler's team is still doing well Premier Leaguesit inside the top half, but the manager is likely to be a bit concerned about their defensive record, as they have kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 games in all competitions.
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As such, Brighton could look to bolster their defensive options in the January transfer window, and Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has now dropped an update on some of the targets they have in mind.
The most notable thing Thomas mentioned is this The Seagulls could make a move for PSV Eindhoven player Olivier Boscagliwho could be brought in as a long-term heir to Louis Dunk.
“Brighton are looking to continue some of the ideas they adopted in the summer, particularly at right-back and also with their new left-back position.
“The right-back issue mainly stems from the fact that Tariq Lamptey and Joel Veltman are involved Their contract will expire in the summer so they can talk to foreign clubs from January 1.
“One of the players they looked at in the summer at right-back is… Andre Ratio at Rayo Vallecano but the deal did not happen. This is the player profile they are looking for.
“Eindhoven Centre-back Olivier Buscali He was a target in the last window and they may look to reconsider that path as they search for a long-term successor to 33-year-old captain Louis Dunk.
Boscagli is showing promising signs at PSV Eindhoven
The Frenchman has impressed on a number of key metrics over the past year, ranking first Percentage 91 for interceptions per 90, and 99th percentile for assists, when compared to his positional peers, highlighting his ability in both boxes.
Members of the Dutch media have praised The 27-year-old has been described as “excellent”, particularly with his possession, which could make him a perfect fit for Brighton, given the heavy emphasis on keeping possession.
However, the defender's decision-making off the ball has come into question, suggesting that he will have to improve in order to replace Dunk in the long term.
The Brighton captain is now 33 years old and arguably in the latter stages of his career, and it is important that Horzler brings in the right man to replace him, given how important he has been to the Seagulls over the years.