Opinion: Brighton would be making a serious statement of intent by targeting move for 21-year-old midfielder
It’s no secret that Brighton’s recruitment has been hugely impressive in recent seasons. The likes of Kaoru Mitoma, Alexis Mac Allister, and Pascal Gross are just some of the examples of where the Seagulls have recruited individuals for a relatively low fee compared to what they’re worth now.
Mac Allister has recently won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, and certainly played his part in their success in Qatar. Whilst Mitoma has burst onto the scene at the Amex Stadium this term, and seems to be going from strength to strength.
It’s not only the on-field recruitment which has been near spot-on at Brighton, as Roberto De Zerbi is another addition who has transformed the club for all the right reasons as their manager.
Brighton are in with a serious chance of a late push for a European qualification place this season, which would have been almost unthinkable when the club won promotion into the Premier League back in the 2016/17 season.
If De Zerbi’s side were to clinch a spot in Europe next season, then you’d expect the profile of the club to rise even further than it already has, and with that, comes further expectation from the club’s supporters.
Experts at My Betting Sites have revealed that Brighton are priced at 9/2 on Betfred to finish in the top-four, although they face stiff competition from the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle United, Chelsea, and Tottenham Hotspur for a place in the Champions League qualification places this term.
- Betfair @ 4/1
- Paddy Power @ 4/1
- Sky Bet @ 4/1
- BetUK @ 9/2
- Unibet @ 9/2
Odds displayed are correct as of 4:46 pm, Thursday 30th March, 2023. Odds are subject to change.
Performing to a high standard in the Premier League is one thing, but finding the consistency between the domestic campaign and a European adventure can be tricky.
West Ham are a classic example of this, and the Hammers are in danger of being relegated into the Championship, so it’s vital that Brighton don’t follow in their footsteps, and continue to recruit smartly, as well as signing players that can take them to the next level.
One player fits that criteria is Michael Olise, who is currently playing his football for rivals Crystal Palace. The French Under-21s international has caught the eye with plenty of strong performances for the Eagles this season, and has been a rare bright spark in a frustrating league campaign for the Selhurst Park faithful to witness.
Olise had previously come through the ranks at Reading, and chipped in with notable contributions in his breakthrough season during the covid-19 pandemic.
The winger was one of the first names on the team-sheet, and unlocked opposition defences with relative ease at times, and he would have been irritated not to have finished in the top-six with the Berkshire-based side, who have struggled ever since he departed the club in favour of a move to Crystal Palace in 2021.
The 21-year-old still has his best years ahead of him, but given that the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Lille, and Bayern Munich have already expressed an interest in landing his signature, it could show that he’s a player that can offer something at the highest level now.
Brighton would be far more likely to be able to offer Olise regular game time than some of the other teams that are keen on signing him.
Kaoru Mitoma has already been linked with a potential move away from Brighton, and even if he doesn’t depart this summer, Brighton should still look into signing Olise, as he could be the ideal player to terrorise opposition full-backs along with Mitoma.
With potential European matches on the cards next season for De Zerbi’s men, strength in depth is needed, and signing a player of Olise’s quality would send a real statement out to other clubs in the Premier League, as he’s a player that looks likely to be destined for the very top of world football if the first few years of his senior career are anything to go by.
