Aaron Connolly named PL2 Player of the Month for November
Aaron Connolly’s stunning season just keeps getting better and better with the Brighton and Hove Albion Under 23 forward being named Premier League 2 Player of the Month for November.
The striker added another three PL2 goals to his tally for the season, scoring twice in the Albion’s 3-2 victory away at Swansea City in their final game of the month.
He was also on target for Simon Rusk’s side in their 2-1 home defeat against Everton, as well as hitting a hat-trick against Milton Keynes Dons in the Checkatrade Checkatrade.com Trophy.
That was enough for Connolly to become the first Albion player to win a PL2 award, seeing off the challenges of Blackburn Rovers’ Daniel Butterworth, Sadou Diallo of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City’s Josh King, Everton’s Nathangelo Markelo and Callum Morton of West Bromwich Albion.
Connolly has 17 goals already this season; 11 in PL2, six from three games in the Checkatrade Checkatrade.com Trophy and one from the Albion’s 2-0 victory over Benfica in the Premier League International Cup.
That form hasn’t gone unnoticed and Connolly has been linked with a move to Bundesliga club Hoffenheim, something that might hold plenty of appeal given the first team opportunities that have been offered to the likes of Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund, Ademola Lookman at Red Bull Leipzig and Reiss Nelson who is enjoying a successful loan spell with the German club currently tracking Connolly. Both Manchester United and Manchester City are also said to be monitoring his situation, with Connolly out of contract this summer.
While the Irishman is yet to make a league appearance for the club, Chris Hughton has included him and fellow Under 23 squad striker Viktor Gyökeres in the travelling party for the recent away games at Cardiff City and Burnley. The Albion manager preferred to name Gyökeres on the bench for the 2-1 defeat in South Wales.
Connolly was previously nominated for PL2 Player of the Month awards in September and October. Winning the accolade at the third time of asking is sure to add fuel to the fire to those arguing that he deserves a chance in the first team soon.
Despite the form of Glenn Murray and the additional option that Florin Andone offers now he is finally fit and firing following his summer move from Deportivo La Coruna, the Albion still look light in the scoring department.
Jurgen Locadia is yet to convince following his £14m move from PSV Eindhoven and for many supporters, him putting a free header over the bar from six yards out at Burnley last weekend was the straw that broke the camels back.
While Connolly was busy banging in six goals from two games in November, Locadia was releasing an album and telling a Dutch newspaper that he wanted a January move to either Germany or Spain as he hadn’t been given a proper chance at the Albion.
Should Locadia get his wish and be flogged next month, then Connolly might finally get the chance at first team level that he probably deserves.
And even if the Ducthman isn’t sold, the case is growing stronger for him to be replaced on the bench by Connolly anyway. This latest recognition of his talents is testament to that.
