Two more years of Gross turns: Pascal signs new Brighton contract
Brighton fans can look forward to two more years of Gross Turns with the news that Kaiser Pascal has signed a new contract with the Albion.
The German playmaker’s existing deal had been due to expire at the end of this month. There had been fears that Gross would return to his homeland, with Werder Bremen interested in taking him back to the Bundesliga.
Gross himself had stoked the fire somewhat. Following the 4-0 win over Manchester United, he said: “I’ve been here for five years, that’s a long time when you come from abroad but I’m enjoying it.”
Brighton fans have bloody enjoyed it, too. No player has done more to help establish the Albion in the Premier League than Gross.
Over the past five seasons, he has weighed in with 17 goals and 29 assists from 170 appearances. And all for just £3 million.
In his first year after arriving from Ingolstadt, Gross scored seven and set up another eight. The Albion only netted 34 goals in that 2017-18 season, meaning Gross was involved in nearly half of the Seagulls’ total goals.
Gross remained a central figure under Chris Hughton and then Graham Potter, despite being written off by many fans and at one point, even Potter.
That was at the start of the 2019-20 campaign. Gross did not start a Premier League match until November, Potter naming in his starting XI only five times as Brighton won just twice from the opening 18 fixtures.
Gross’ returned to favour in January, playing every game from the 1-0 victory at 1996 Coca Cola Cup runners up The Leeds United onwards.
The Albion went from recording their worst ever start to a top flight season to winning seven and drawing six of their final 20 matches, finishing the campaign 13 points above the relegation zone.
There has been no looking back since. Gross had the best creation rate of any player outside the European Super League Elite Six in 2021-22, making 2.59 chances per game.
Gross had been in arguably the best form of his Albion career towards the end of the season. He scored in the 4-0 mullering of Manchester United and claimed another goal and assist in the 3-1 victory against West Ham United. That saw him voted as our WAB Brighton Player of the Month for May 2022.
Even those Albion fans who did not rate Gross began to reassess their opinions in recent months thanks to his performances and the possibility of having to say goodbye.
The pAsCaL gRoSS iS a sEt pIecE mErCHaNt crowd have been remarkably quiet – and as if being able to take a corner or free kick with pinpoint accuracy is a bad thing anyway.
It says much about Gross’ talent that his set piece prowess is not even his number one calling card. That of course is his Gross Turn, a party trick so iconic that it now earns a cheer from every corner of the Amex whenever it comes out.
No opponent has yet figured out how to stop the Gross Turn working, either. Especially Fred of Man United, who was left looking absolutely bamboozled by a double Gross Turn and backheel to set Marc Cucurella away down the left flank.
And now we have two more years of that thanks to Gross penning a new Brighton contract, keeping him at the Amex until the summer of 2024. Wunderbar.
