Brighton must be wary of retaining star men

"I will never forget that first year in England, but I want to improve" 🗣️

Pascal Gross scored 8️⃣ and assisted 7️⃣ goals last season, but isn't resting on his laurels

More ➡️ https://t.co/P3Yf3Eot5o pic.twitter.com/6EBdZEHiKO

— Premier League (@premierleague) July 3, 2018

Brighton are languishing dangerously above the relegation zone heading towards the climax of the Premier League season. Chris Hughton’s men are in a group of teams that are above the bottom three, but it’s too close for comfort given the drama that can unfold in the closing stages of the campaign.

At the time of writing, the Seagulls are five points clear of 18th-place Cardiff City, although they do have a game in hand over their rivals due to the club’s charge into the last four of the FA Cup. Back-to-back wins over Huddersfield and Crystal Palace have improved their standing, and it would be a surprise given their recent form if Brighton were to take the plunge back down to the Championship.

One of the primary reasons that the Seagulls should have no issue remaining in the Premier League is the quality of their squad, particularly in the final third. Anthony Knockaert highlighted his talent with a screamer to score the decisive goal in his side’s win over Palace at Selhurst Park. The Frenchman has been a mercurial talent during his career, but still has rare ability on the ball that has undoubtedly caught the eye of teams across Europe.

📸 Anthony Knockaert's superb strike was Brighton's first goal from outside the box this season

Crystal Palace 1-2 Brighton (82 mins)#CRYBHA pic.twitter.com/Z0X3960UxD

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 9, 2019

Pascal Gross was one of the bargains of the 2017/18 season when he signed from Ingolstadt for only £3m. He scored seven goals for the Seagulls last term, and although injuries have limited his action over the course of the term, the German has still been an outstanding contributor for Hughton’s men.

Davy Propper and Lewis Dunk are also players that could catch the eye as Brighton could become the next team to be plucked by sides across Europe, including the Premier League and La Liga outfits that will be aiming to bolster their squads in the summer.

A player of Gross’ calibre could interest a team such as Sevilla, who are backed at 4/5 in the La Liga betting odds to clinch a place in the Champions League. The lure of playing in Europe’s elite competition would be a draw for him or Knockaert should other teams come swooping for their elite talent.

Gross has also been linked with a move to Liverpool, therefore Hughton will have to be aware that the vultures could be circling his team, especially if they were able to see off Manchester City in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

The Seagulls should look no further than their relegation rivals Southampton, who have been forced to turn over their squad multiple times after being picked apart. Virgil van Dijk, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Victor Wanyama, Sadio Mane and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are among the few players that have departed for teams in greater standing than the Saints. It has taken its toll on Southampton, who are finally bearing the weight of losing key players over a period of time, while Swansea before them suffered a similar fate.

There’s still work ahead of Brighton to avoid the drop and the future beyond could be just as challenging to retain the services of their star men at the Amex Stadium