The Brighton players shining on loan so far in 2023-24

As injuries continue to mount for Brighton and the senior squad is stretched to its limit, it seems like a good time to look at how the army of loan players the Albion have dotted across Europe are getting on so far in the 2023-24 season.

The Brighton transfer model means we should expect at least a couple of those currently picking up first team experience elsewhere to make the step up, either next summer or perhaps in January should any suitable candidates have recall options in their loan deals.

At this point, it is worth repeating again Roberto De Zerbi’s summer assertion: “It is normal for Brighton to sell players. The most important thing for Brighton, is not to keep the most important players, but to find their replacement. This is the right work we have to do.”

So which of those Brighton players out on loan have shown the most potential to progress? The table below summarises the season to date for the 16 loan players, along with Adrian Mazilu who is due to join up with the squad in January.

Inevitably with the number of players and the variability of loan experiences, there is a mixed picture across the spectrum so far from significant success to disappointment. For those currently enduring the latter, most of the season remains to turn the situation around.

Goalkeepers
In truth, the season to date has perhaps been disappointing for Jason Steele and Bart Verbruggen. Both have low clean sheet percentages and are showing a negative position on expected goals when ranked against other goalkeepers in the Premier League.

A coherent argument can therefore be made – even after allowing for the different level they play at – that you need to look beyond Steele and Verbruggen to find the best performing Brighton goalkeeper.

If you were to include the women’s team in this comparison, Sophie Baggaley would deserve that title following her exceptional WSL displays against Manchester United and Manchester City.

As for the men, the table below indicates the different strengths and weaknesses of each goalkeeper (accepting the small sample size to date).

The style of each club inevitably impacts the statistics. DeZerbiBall for example acts against high save percentages and goals prevented figures (an assessment of goals conceded against ‘expected goals’ for the opposition) but increases the passing percentage.

Even so, the goals prevented figures for Jason Steele currently provide a concerning counter-balance to the passing strength which De Zerbi uses to justify his continued selection.

In contrast, Carl Rushworth and James Beadle have some of the best goals prevented figures in their respective leagues – an area which Verbruggen thrived in during the 2022-23 season with Anderlecht.

Kjell Scherpen meanwhile uses his 6’8 to be one of the best keepers in Europe at dealing with crosses and corners.

At the beginning of the campaign, logic dictated that 23-year-old Scherpen was the most likely to move on sooner rather than later. His contract comes to an end soon and both Rushworth and Beadle are younger with seemingly greater scope to improve.

The form Scherpen has shown for Sturm Graz, however, may give the club pause for though – including going 412 minutes without conceding a goal.

Rushworth is enjoying a similar success story at Swansea City as he completed his Football League education in the Championship. And not to be outdone, James Beadle continues to excel for League One high flyers Oxford United.

Clearly, the Albion have an interesting conundrum to solve in the not-too-distant future with so many impressive young goalkeepers on their books.

Defenders
Ed Turns is enjoying another consistent season, this time in League One with Leyton Orient. Having played mainly as a central defender in his career so far, he has shown signs of versatility at left back for Orient.

Two health scares have overshadowed Odel Offiah’s short period at Hearts. His manager Steven Naismith provided an update last week, saying: “Odel Offiah will sit out just now. He has had some medical issues that we want to make sure are sorted so that process will take place.”

Midfield
It has been a mixed season so far for Yasin Ayari at Championship side Coventry City, as outlined in this article by Football League World. Ayari has found himself recently consigned to the bench.

In League One, Marc Leonard and Jensen Weir continue to show consistent performances for Northampton and Blackpool respectively. Leonard in particular impresses in both defensive and attacking roles.

However, with the high level now needed to break into the Brighton first team and both nearly 22-years-old, it may be that their immediate future lies in either League One or the Championship.

Having just turned 20, time remains slightly more on Kacper Kozlowski’s side, though progress may be slower than Brighton hoped as he flits between being a starter and on the bench for Vitesse Arnhem.

At 25-years-old, the assumption must be that Steve Alzate’s time at Brighton is coming to an end as he continues to ply his trade with Standard Liege in Belgium.

His appearances this season have been limited with an earlier injury and suspension following a sending off.

Attacking Midfielders
Andy Moran and Cam Peupion both made their Premier League debuts towards the end of last season but are enjoying different fortunes as Brighton players out on loan in the Football League.

Moran is having an exciting campaign in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers. On the night Chelsea knocked Brighton out of the Carabao Cup, Moran contributed two goals, two assists and won a penalty as Blackburn progressed against Cardiff City.

That form has carried over to some impressive recent league performances and in particular, a burgeoning link up with fellow Irishman Sammie Szmodics.

Moran recently earned his first call up to the senior Irish squad, with manager Stephen Kenny saying: “The player that has caught my attention the most has been Andy Moran. He has been absolutely terrific in both Blackburn’s games last week.”

“Physically, when you step up to international football, as we found with some of the young players, it is a big jump.”

“He started off by coming on for Brighton, but his performances last week, when he got his two goals, I was at that game and it was an absolutely fantastic performance. I think he is going to be an excellent player for Ireland.”

Peupion in contrast has been a surprising disappointment at Cheltenham Town. Despite the Robins struggling for goals and sitting bottom of League One, the highly-rated Australian has barely featured.

Wingers
Abdallah Sima has been making waves with his performance so far for Rangers, leading to a succession of articles discussing whether Rangers can make the the loan move permanent.

There is no option to buy in the deal. Sima has already scored nine times and was named Scottish Premier League Player of the Month in October.

Praise for Sima has come from numerous sources. Sussex Live note the words of Rangers captain James Tavernier: “He has been a real attacking threat for us this season, he’s got electric pace and can finish in difficult areas.”

Scottish journalist Scott McDermott notes the impact new Rangers boss Philippe Clement has had on Sima: “He’s found Sima’s best position – playing wide on the left of a front three – and recently he’s been excellent.”

“He’s scored seven goals in his last 10 games, which is a terrific return. And crucially, he’s scored big goals in important games, particularly against PSV and Real Betis at Ibrox.”

“Along with keeper Jack Butland, he’s been the best of Beale’s summer signings, with many others not working out so far.”

“His attitude has been impressive too, especially when you look at Rangers’ display in Prague against Sparta last week. They had no left-back available so Sima filled in at wing-back which would have been fairly alien to him.”

“Off the ball, his attitude and work rate are top class. On the ball, it’s his pace and finishing that has been really impressive so far.”

“I’m not sure anyone would say that, technically, he’s a top player. He doesn’t really have a trick to beat a full-back and he won’t open up defences with a killer pass”

“But his speed frightens defenders and if there’s space for him to run in behind teams, he can cause major problems to the opposition. When he gets into good scoring positions, he can be lethal as he’s shown at Rangers in the last 10 games.”

This view developing whilst Sima has been on loan at Rangers that his best position is on the left wing may leave Brighton with some tough decisions, as they are reasonably well stocked for players on that side.

Simon Adingra has performed reasonably this season on the right but looks far more electric on the left, as evidence by his performances in the US Summer Series and against Sheffield United.

Julio Enciso has also done a good job on the left and the talents of Kaoru Mitoma need no introduction. With Solly March out with an ACL injury, the Albion are more in need of reinforcements on the right.

Which brings us onto Adrian Mazilu, the right winger and one the most exciting teenage players in Europe set to arrive at Brighton when his loan at Farul Constanța ends in January.

It may be of concern to the Albion that news outlets in Romania have reported Mazilu’s form has dropped off this season.

Gazeta Sporturilor argue: “The conclusion is clear, his form is much weaker than what the 18-year-old right winger showed last season, when Farul won the title.”

Farul manager Gheorghe Hagi offers a more balanced view: “He’s played a lot at his age, so I did when I was 17. He didn’t have a break, he only had five days of vacation.”

“He is a basic player for the Romanian champion. He earned his position and is respected by his colleagues. It can be seen that he is still not fresh, but we are happy that Mazilu is on the field and helping us to win.”

Much was expected of Jeremy Sarmiento when he became one of the more surprising players that Brighton opted to loan out in the summer, joining West Bromwich Albion in the Championship.
Injuries though have continued to frustrate, limiting Sarmiento largely to cameos from the bench.

This time last year, Sarmiento looked to be on a par with Enciso. A broken metatarsal though led to an early end to his season and whereas Enciso pushed on in the final two months of the campaign, Sarmiento now finds himself in the second tier.

Baggies manager Carlos Corberan has spoken of the challenge facing Sarmiento, saying the target of his loan spell at the Hawthorns is to improve his fitness having never managed more than a handful of games before being ruled out.

Corberan said: “If you analyse his minutes in this year, and in the year before, he couldn’t accumulate enough minutes. The reason was the injury.”

“We are making a specific plan to help him avoid this. From the medical staff, they are being the most pro-active they can be to avoid it.”

“If one day we think it’s been too much, the next day we are going to compensate. His talent demands from us a special attention to detail to have him the most available as possible.”

Strikers
Deniz Undav has had a mixed time at Stuttgart, with both injuries and the form of fellow striker Serhou Guirassy limiting his game time.

Numerous articles link Guirassy with a move to the Premier League in January, quoting an attractive £15 million release clause. Brighton themselves have a rumoured interest.

When Undav has made it onto the pitch, he has impressed with an article on the Bundesliga website hailing his impact in scoring six goals from nine appearances.

At only 18-years-old, Bailey Smith is behind other players from the development squad – Brighton have sent him on loan to National League South side Worthing until January, where he has made six appearances to date.

Peter Finn