Over the course of the past two transfer windows, Brighton spent just over £70m. They paid £30m last summer for 18-year-old striker Charalampos Kostoulas, who is rated as a top prospect. But he was not ready to replace Joao Pedro and has scored only twice this season, as Brighton have continued to rely on 35-year-old Danny Welbeck for goals.
Hürzeler has also been left with issues to deal with in the dressing room after Brighton agreed to sell captain Lewis Dunk to Nottingham Forest at the end of the January transfer window.
Other than being a big presence on the pitch, Dunk is thought to be hugely influential off it. Following the defeat by Crystal Palace that prompted some Brighton fans to chant “you’re getting sacked in the morning” at Hürzeler, Dunk cryptically said: “I understand their frustration, but I don’t think it’s down to him.”
Brighton have not signed a player who could guarantee them a profit since the summer of 2023, when they bought Pedro – who has since joined Chelsea – goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and midfielder Carlos Baleba.
The recruitment failings of the last two seasons are a big departure from the era in which Brighton signed the likes of Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Alexis Mac Allister, who all left for huge fees and earned the club a reputation as one of the Premier League’s best recruiters and sellers.