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[Albion] Brajan Gruda **SINGED 14 Aug 2024**







Professor Plum

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Jul 27, 2024
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I messaged my German mate earlier about Gruda. He said…
“He has potential. A Young Right winger who was trained in Mainz. He was in all the Young national Teams of Germany. But is he ready for the big Premier League? I dont know. He had a good Season in Mainz last year… played 50% of the Matches. One more point, it have Been Really nice Watching brighton the last two years live… incredible team and Club we think…”
 


Wozza

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Jul 6, 2003
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Minteh Wonderland
I messaged my German mate earlier about Gruda. He said…
“He has potential. A Young Right winger who was trained in Mainz. He was in all the Young national Teams of Germany. But is he ready for the big Premier League? I dont know. He had a good Season in Mainz last year… played 50% of the Matches. One more point, it have Been Really nice Watching brighton the last two years live… incredible team and Club we think…”
Interesting.

I asked a German colleague and he said (something like) "Er ist Scheißhaus".
 


Couldn't Be Hyypia

We've come a long long way together
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Nov 12, 2006
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anyone speak German:


(it's been 34 years since I passed my gcse by the skin of my teeth)

I lobbed the transcript into ChatGPT and asked it to translate and then provide a summary. Here's what they said:

Brajan Gruda's transfer from FSV Mainz 05 to Brighton & Hove Albion marks a significant step in his career. The move, which involved a base fee of 30 million euros plus potential bonuses, was reportedly influenced by Brighton's coach Fabian Hürzeler, who played a key role in convincing Gruda. Although the transfer is financially beneficial for Mainz, it poses a challenge for the club as they look to replace one of their brightest talents. For Gruda, the move to the Premier League brings both opportunities and risks, as he will face higher competition and media scrutiny. The transfer highlights the growing financial gap between the Premier League and other leagues, with Brighton able to offer substantial sums for a young player like Gruda. The move also reflects Gruda's ambition to advance his career, although some believe he could have benefited from more time in the Bundesliga.
 


Couldn't Be Hyypia

We've come a long long way together
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Nov 12, 2006
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Near Dorchester, Dorset
Here is a less edited version of their discussion:

The transfer of Brajan Gruda from FSV Mainz 05, the 13th place finisher in the last Bundesliga season, to Brighton & Hove Albion, who finished 11th in the Premier League, is gradually gaining traction.

The transfer has been completed, somewhat unexpectedly for me at least. A base transfer fee of 30 million euros, with up to 5 million euros in bonuses, is reported by well-known transfer journalists. It is said that Brajan Gruda was personally convinced by Fabian Hürzeler to make the move. I think it's fair to say that if Hürzeler weren't the coach at Brighton, Gruda likely wouldn't have transferred there. It clearly seems like a coach's wish to have a player who has experience in German football.

For Gruda, having a coach who has also worked in Germany is probably a significant factor. Gruda had already hinted several times last season that he was ready for the next step in his career. Although he initially stated he would like to make the move, he was later somewhat restrained by the Mainz management.

There was talk of FC Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, but now it’s Brighton. As mentioned, Brighton is a bit of an anomaly in the Premier League, not your typical club, but they have financial resources. It’s also a reality check for the differences in financial power between the Premier League and other leagues. Brighton, which has only been in the Premier League since 2015, can put such a significant sum on the table, something that clubs in similar positions in other leagues might not be able to do.

For Mainz, this is a record transfer, surpassing the previous record when Diallo was sold to Dortmund six years ago. For Mainz fans, this might feel like a dampener on their recent enthusiasm. In recent weeks, some people had even tipped Mainz to finish in the top half or possibly qualify for European competitions.

It's not a deadline day transfer; there are still more than two weeks to go in the transfer window. Mainz now has the opportunity to reinvest the money and possibly strengthen their squad. But for Brajan Gruda, his rapid rise in the last 18 months has been remarkable.

Despite only having six scorer points in the Bundesliga so far, it's easy to see why he could command such a high transfer fee. For Mainz, replacing a player like Gruda won't be easy, even with the budget they now have. They will likely have to look for players at a lower level and perhaps try to fill the gap left by Gruda with multiple players.

From Gruda's perspective, the move is not without risks. He has only played 19 Bundesliga matches in the starting lineup. Moving to the Premier League is a significant step, with its different intensity and quality. The media scrutiny in England is also much harsher.

It’s worth noting that Brighton has had a stable coaching situation, with their last three coaches staying for five years, three years, and two years respectively. This could be a good sign for Gruda, as it suggests a stable environment.

For many fans, the ideal scenario might have been a sale this summer with a loan back to Mainz. Gruda is still very young and could have benefited from another year in the Bundesliga without too much pressure. There were also rumors that Leverkusen was interested, and perhaps other German clubs should have made a move for him.

In conclusion, while Gruda's move to Brighton represents a significant career step, it comes with risks. The Premier League is a challenging environment, and it remains to be seen how he will adapt. For Mainz, the task now is to reinvest the transfer fee wisely and maintain their competitiveness in the Bundesliga.
 




Hugo Rune

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Feb 23, 2012
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Brighton
I noticed that the Argus (Brian Owen) now describe Gruda as an attacking midfielder.

I suspect that is based on Hürzeler’s quote:

“He is a left-footed player so he can play on the wing, he can play in the half space.

“I prefer that that he can make the first touch with the left foot inside.”



Confirmation for me that he’ll compete with Pedro, Enciso and (for now) Sarmiento for that No.10 role that has been present in our pre-season friendlies. But no surprise if he comes on for Minteh, especially with ACD’s expected loan.
 




















Eeyore

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Rookie

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Feb 8, 2005
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Any word on his injury? Doesn’t seem to get mentioned in the press conferences
 




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