[Albion] 2025 January Transfer Window OPEN - incoming/outgoing

[GT49er]

Hurzeler was asked about it a few weeks ago. Sounds like to me - they are negotiating.
"“It’s very important that we keep it internal, that we don’t talk too much about the situation in public. Then, when we’ve made a decision, I am sure we will let you know.”

Potentially hopeful news then ...... .......so long as the negotiations are going well!

 

[JBizzle]

Agree, frankly the 2-3 million we might get for him with 6 months left will be lost anyway if we don't have enough cover and drop another couple of places in the table.

There's that, and then there's the fact that we're finally starting to see Lamptey closer to the levels at which we know he's capable of operating. It'd be a shame to have worked with him through all his injury problems, lost 2-3 years of his career in rehab, and then to see him leave just as he gets back to full(ish) capacity.

The more I see of him, the more I want to see him at RW. Estupinan/Mitoma on the left and Veltman/Lamptey on the right might actually produce some shots

 

[Bozza]

There's that, and then there's the fact that we're finally starting to see Lamptey closer to the levels at which we know he's capable of operating. It'd be a shame to have worked with him through all his injury problems, lost 2-3 years of his career in rehab, and then to see him leave just as he gets back to full(ish) capacity.

The more I see of him, the more I want to see him at RW. Estupinan/Mitoma on the left and Veltman/Lamptey on the right might actually produce some shots

He's scored more goals this season (three) than he had scored for us in all prior seasons combined (two).

 

[JBizzle]

He's scored more goals this season (three) than he had scored for us in all prior seasons combined (two).

Well, quite. He's actually averaging a goal or an assist every 55 mins or so this season.

 

[Zeberdi]

I haven't heard any rumours that he's agreed/going to agree to a new contract/contract extension - so, as of now, AFIK, the reality is that he's off for free in the summer.

And you won’t hear any until he has actually signed anything.

However, you missed the point of my post and I think we are talking cross purposes.

He has had a few clubs sniffing round for January but as I said, why would we let him go halfway through the season (this window) when he is playing well (at both right and left back) and we have a dearth of defenders?



As for the summer, I suspect we will get him to sign some sort of extension before letting him go in the summer - it would not be very good business on TBs part, to let a really good defender go on a Bosman.

Edit - in response to posts below - I said “will” not because we can stop him going if we don’t want him to but I have faith we ‘will’ succeed in negotiating an extension if we want him to stay and I think we do. If not, then selling him during this window would make better sense financially but not necessarily for the squad right now.

 

[jackalbion]

Maybe if we don’t give him an extension but why on earth would we consider parting with him half way through the season when we have barely enough defenders as it is?

Because I'm not entirely sure our strategy is trying to build a workable team.

 

[Bozza]

As for the summer, I suspect we will get him to sign some sort of extension before letting him go in the summer - it would not be very good business on TBs part, to let a really good defender go on a Bosman.

It's got nothing to do with Bloom, Barber nor the club's ability to do good business.

When a player runs down their contract to this extent, they almost certainly will not sign an extension as it directly limits their options and earning capacity.

It will be entirely out of the club's hands.

That is why contract extensions tend to happen with two years. or more, to go. If a player is unwilling to commit any further at that stage, then a sale becomes the most likely outcome, sooner or later, so the club recoup's some funds.

But, as others have said, with the squad as it stands, it is likely to prove beneficial to retain Lamptey for the remainder of the campaign, even though we expect him to walk away in the summer. The fee we would receive now will be relatively modest, so he will be worth more to us to keep him on.

That wasn't the case with Jakub Moder, who was in the same contract situation, as we have no shortage of midfield options.

 

[chaileyjem]

Because I'm not entirely sure our strategy is trying to build a workable team.

well of course recruitment is complex and you can pursue all sorts of supporting strategies (player development, profit, u21s , loans) and sometimes things are out of the club's control (player availability, injuries, form) but if ultimately its not to give Hurzeler the best possible squad to get into Europe, "challenge the establishment" and play his best 11 every week then what is it ? What strategy are they pursuing then ?

 

[Bozza]

Because I'm not entirely sure our strategy is trying to build a workable team.

A few days ago, I was going to pose the question, tongue-in-cheek, "Is the Albion a player-trading business that happens to have a football club attached to it?"

Are you suggesting the same kind of thing there, in that you believe some of our business is not necessarily done with enriching the first team squad but making value investments that we believe will translate into profitable sales in the future?

 

[southstandandy]

Still plenty of players to come in during the summer :

Ibrahim Osman
Malikck Yalcouye
Amario Cozier-Duberry

&

Julio Enciso
Jeremy Sarmiento
Facundo Buonanotte

Where are they all going to fit?

 

[jackalbion]

well of course recruitment is complex and you can pursue all sorts of supporting strategies (player development, profit, u21s , loans) and sometimes things are out of the club's control (player availability, injuries, form) but if ultimately its not to give Hurzeler the best possible squad to get into Europe, "challenge the establishment" and play his best 11 every week then what is it ? What strategy are they pursuing then ?

If they wanted to give Huerzler the best opportunity to “challenge the establishment” why would we sell a defender? Why would we loan out one of only two strikers we have? If some of these decisions come to fruition we’ve got to be raising eyebrows at what’s going on here.

 

[Simster]

And you won’t hear any until he has actually signed anything.

However, you missed the point of my post and I think we are talking cross purposes.

He has had a few clubs sniffing round for January but as I said, why would we let him go halfway through the season (this window) when he is playing well (at both right and left back) and we have a dearth of defenders?

As for the summer, I suspect we will get him to sign some sort of extension before letting him go in the summer - it would not be very good business on TBs part, to let a really good defender go on a Bosman.

You clearly have no idea how football transfers work. Why on earth would Lamptey sign a new contract with a few months before it expires, when he's a free agent in the summer?

 

[Zeberdi]

It's got nothing to do with Bloom, Barber nor the club's ability to do good business.

I think TB/PB ability to do good ‘business’ is at the heart of any dealing we have with other clubs.

I take your point about contract extensions on contracts with only 6 months left but the Club has often extended contracts (with longer time left) with players once interest from other clubs makes a move look possible. Caceido signed an extension to his contract in 2023 even though he knew he was leaving in the summer.

I think as well as the upside you mention, there’s also a risk to players running down their contract and that is they may end up out of work. With a player like Lamptey who is not a footballing superstar and is injury prone it’s more of a risk. If he has a bad injury a few months before he’s out of contract what happens then? He won’t have a line of clubs queuing up then.

When a player runs down their contract to this extent, they almost certainly will not sign an extension as it directly limits their options and earning capacity.

We don’t know what is going on with Lamptey - or Veltman, another important defender for us whose contract is running down.

There has been no rumours afaia saying either want to leave Brighton and as was pointed out on the first page of the thread by HS when this came up, the contractual negotiations with the club are not discussed in public so all is conjecture as far as Lamptey is concerned - I wonder if maybe we weren’t prepared to have so many defenders out with injury but he is clearly up to the level for a Brighton squad player and unless we sign several defenders this window, we clearly should not be considering sell him to Leicester, Forest or anyone else in this window whether he leaves in the summer on a free or not. That was my point.

 

[Zeberdi]

You clearly have no idea how football transfers work. Why on earth would Lamptey sign a new contract with a few months before it expires, when he's a free agent in the summer?

Because he wants to stay with the Club?

But no, not an expert nor claiming to be just I am pretty sure with both Veltman and Lamptey, there will be negotiations going on that we are not privy to.

My post was rather a question about why the Club would consider selling him this window (with only 6 mnths on his contract) when he is more valuable to us now as a player than what we would lose by him leaving on a free in the summer.

 

[jackalbion]

A few days ago, I was going to pose the question, tongue-in-cheek, "Is the Albion a player-trading business that happens to have a football club attached to it?"

Are you suggesting the same kind of thing there, in that you believe some of our business is not necessarily done with enriching the first team squad but making value investments that we believe will translate into profitable sales in the future?

The hoarding of young attackers is starting to lean that way. Why on Earth did we extend Peupion’s contract in the summer? Samuels? Why didn’t we sell Sima to Rangers, these players aren’t still under contract to enrich our first team squad in any way. Why has Josh Duffus mysteriously disappeared from any team because he doesn’t want to sign a new contract, because we won’t be making a high amount of money out of him?

 

[Bozza]

I think TB/PB ability to do good ‘business’ is at the heart of any dealing we have with other clubs.

I take your point about contract extensions on contracts with only 6 months left but the Club has often extended contracts (with longer time left) with players once interest from other clubs makes a move look possible. Caceido signed an extension to his contract in 2023 even though he knew he was leaving in the summer.

I think as well as the upside you mention, there’s also a risk to players running down their contract and that is they may end up out of work. With a player like Lamptey who is not a footballing superstar and is injury prone it’s more of a risk. If he has a bad injury a few months before he’s out of contract what happens then? He won’t have a line of clubs queuing up then.

We don’t know what is going on with Lamptey - or Veltman, another important defender for us whose contract is running down.

There has been no rumours afaia saying either want to leave Brighton and as was pointed out on the first page of the thread by HS when this came up, the contractual negotiations with the club are not discussed in public so all is conjecture as far as Lamptey is concerned - I wonder if maybe we weren’t prepared to have so many defenders out with injury but he is clearly up to the level for a Brighton squad player and unless we sign several defenders this window, we clearly should not be considering sell him to Leicester, Forest or anyone else in this window whether he leaves in the summer on a free or not. That was my point.

Again - there is absolutely nothing the club can do to make Lamptey sign a contract extension in the name of "doing good business".

That's not to say he won't sign one, but if he does - it's entirely down to his choosing.

I would expect that we very much would like to tie Lamptey down for another 2-4 years, partly to protect our asset, but if he has other ideas, there's nothing we can do about it, despite being one of the best operators in the business.

If he doesn't sign a new deal, then he will have his pick of clubs in the summer, as well as being able to pocket a multi-million pound signing-on fee. That's quite an incentive to let the contract expire in June.

 

[Simster]

Because he wants to stay with the Club?

Yes but you said "it would not be very good business on TBs part, to let a really good defender go on a Bosman"

You didn't suggest it was anything to do with Lamptey wanting to stay.


Edit: Bozza has typed out what I can't be arsed to type myself.

 

[Hiheidi]

 

[WATFORD zero]

A few days ago, I was going to pose the question, tongue-in-cheek, "Is the Albion a player-trading business that happens to have a football club attached to it?"

Are you suggesting the same kind of thing there, in that you believe some of our business is not necessarily done with enriching the first team squad but making value investments that we believe will translate into profitable sales in the future?

I think that is exactly what we have been doing for some time. And then using that profit to invest in more players who are more likely to enrich the first team squad. I don't think it's one at the expense of the other, but both building towards improving the club and first team squad in order to continue outperforming most expectations

 

[Zeberdi]

Regurgitating what’s already been said above