Igor and Dunk leave Brighton facing defensive injury crisis

Brighton are facing a potential defensive injury crisis thanks to Lewis Dunk and Igor Julio picking up muscular problems in the space of a few days.

Igor faces a couple of months on the sidelines having torn his hamstring. Dunk meanwhile is out with a “minor” calf injury. And whilst “minor” might not sound that bad, the last time he was ruled out with a “minor” injury in October saw him absent for five weeks.

The Albion ended the 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal with a centre back partnership of Jan Paul van Hecke and Adam Webster after Igor was forced off on 66 minutes.

It was Webster’s first action for 13 weeks following his own injury issues. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end.

Brighton would no doubt have much preferred to ease him back after such a lengthy spell out but instead, Webster is now a likely starter through necessity rather than choice for the foreseeable future.

Whether his body can cope with that is a just question. Webster does not possess the strongest of track records, let alone when rushing back because the Albion are facing a defensive injury crisis.

If some sort of injury were to befall either Webster or Van Hecke whilst Dunk and Igor remain out, Brighton might find themselves up a very famous brown creek without an instrument to steer their boat.

Injury to Lewis Dunk

Dunk was a surprise absentee from the Arsenal game with a minor calf injury. Having remained largely injury free over the past decade, it is the second time in the space of three months he has been waylaid by a calf problem. A reminder that he is not getting younger.

And when we say surprise, what we mean is Fabian Hurzeler did not mention the Albion captain was suffering from a calf problem in his pre-game press conference.

Why would he? There is no point giving the Gunners any sort of inkling over fresh injury concerns and subsequent advantage when it comes to predicting the Brighton XI and potential areas of weakness to target.

It is almost like these mandated press conferences to keep broadcasters happy are actually pretty informative and a bit pointless. Other than for driving search traffic to websites and filling a few minutes on Sky Sports News. But I digress.

No timescale has been put on a return, although as already noted the use of the word “minor” should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Whereas even last season an injury to Dunk would be seen as a disaster, Brighton coped reasonably well without him during his absence earlier in the campaign.

It was even deemed controversial that he returned almost immediately in place of Igor at the beginning of the current eight game winless run the Albion are enduring.

But injury to Dunk at the same time as Igor is a big blow given how stretched it leaves Brighton defensively with five games to come in the next four weeks up to February 1st.

Injury to Igor

Igor revealed the extent of his own problems in a social media post 48 hours after limping off against Arsenal.

Writing alongside a picture of himself on crutches, Igor said: “Unfortunately, a thigh injury will keep me off the pitches for a few months.”

“A tough blow. A lot of things are going through my head. But it is just another battle to take on and win. Thanks to all of those who have sent messages. I’ll be back stronger.”

Reports have since emerged that Igor has undergone surgery on a thigh tear. Recovery time from such injuries is anywhere between two and four months, depending on the severity and any complications during rehab.

If Igor’s return is placed towards the end of such a timeframe, then we may not see him in a Brighton shirt again this season.

Other Brighton defensive injuries

Igor is not the only Albion defender to have undergone potentially season ending surgery in the past week. Ferdi Kadioglu also faces up to four months on the sidelines after an operation on a torn ligament capsule in his left foot big toe.

Kadioglu offers cover at both right and left back. His versatility is such that he could probably play as a centre back too if required.

And he is not the only Albion player capable of playing in defence currently injured. Jack Hinshelwood has not been seen for two months now. Like Kadioglu, he can play in both full back positions.

As can James Milner, who has spent even longer in the treatment room. The veteran’s last action came in the 1-1 draw at Arsenal back in August, where he picked up a hamstring injury.

What if Van Hecke or Webster become injured?

Having any of Kadioglu, Hinshelwood or Milner available would ease the centre back crisis slightly by freeing up Joel Veltman to move across from right back.

Pervis Estupinan also did a job in the middle of defence last season for Roberto De Zerbi when the fiery Italian was hit by a similar spate of injury issues across the back line.

If injury were to befall Van Hecke or Webster, Veltman is still the most likely to take up residency at centre back with Tariq Lamptey at right back.

Who then comes next? Probably Ruairi McConville, who made headlines back in November when being handed his international debut for Northern Ireland before playing a minute of first team football for Brighton.

McConville was expected to head out on loan for the second half of the season. Those plans will almost certainly have to change now.

Another intriguing option to boost defensive numbers would be Valentin Barco. Most Seagulls supporters expected the young left back to set La Liga alight when he moved on loan to Sevilla in August.

But Barco has made so little impact that Sevilla are tearing up the loan agreement six months early. He has subsequently been linked with a move to Porto, perhaps even with a right-to-buy.

Whilst playing Barco as a centre back would be an absolutely insane decision, keeping him at the Amex for the second half of the season could free up Estupinan to play as a central defender.

It would also give Hurzeler a natural left wing back option should he decide to switch to a back three selected out of Van Hecke, Webster, Veltman and Estupinan.

Vitor Reis

Brighton are well-known for not liking business in the January and Paul Barber OBE said the club were hoping for a quiet transfer window in a recent interview.

With perfect timing, Igor made his social media post just a few hours later. Might it force the Albion into signing a new centre back?

Brighton have apparently submitted three bids so far for 18-year-old Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis, the latest being for a cool £23 million.

Palmeiras value Reis at £25 million and want to keep him for this summer’s Club World Cup before selling after the tournament. But if Brighton can find an extra £2 million, it may convince the Brazilian side to sell in January.

Reis is capable of playing anywhere across defence, although he has spent most of his fledgling career so far in his favoured centre back position.

In a sign of how highly rated Reiss is, he has been linked with Arsenal, Real Madrid and Chelsea. None have shown enough concrete interest to lodge a bid, although that will undoubtedly change once Chelsea get word that Brighton are trying to sign Reis.

There will of course be questions over whether a player who has made just 22 senior appearances in the Brazilian Serie A is ready to step straight into regular Premier League action.

But with the absence of Dunk and Igor deepening the defensive injury crisis, we could well find out in the not-too-distant future should Brighton decide Reis is worth becoming a rare January signing.