The game-changing £30m signing that would see Brighton soar in Europe

Brighton embark upon a European adventure next season, and one new signing particular could aid the Seagulls as they look to thrive in the Europa League.
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It almost feels a little bit sacrilegious to write an article telling Brighton who they should look to sign this summer. Such is the thoroughness and supremacy of Albion’s recruitment, it would be a little like trying to point out Orion’s Belt to Galileo. If all I’m offering is rudimentary star-gazing, I don’t want to insult their intelligence. Chances are, anybody I’m going to suggest here has already been identified, mulled over, and tossed into a comically large waste paper basket marked ‘Rejected Seagulls’, or a deal is already in the offing and we just don’t know it yet.

Nevertheless, here goes; Charles de Ketelaere. Imagine Kevin de Bruyne if Kevin de Bruyne sort of looked like Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The young Belgian is a highly-rated, highly-prodigious creative talent who is currently on the books at AC Milan, and who has been mentioned more than once in relation to Brighton in the recent past.

He turned 22 back in March, but having moved to Italy from Club Brugge last summer, has struggled to properly find his footing at the San Siro. Thirty-nine appearances this season have yielded just one assist, although it is worth emphasising that two thirds of those appearances have come from the bench.

De Ketelaere was linked in the summerDe Ketelaere was linked in the summer
De Ketelaere was linked in the summer

Don’t let any of that put you off, though. Prior to his barren stint in Lombardy, De Ketelaere registered 45 goal involvements in 120 outings for Brugge, operating predominantly in an attacking midfield role, but also occupying berths out wide and as a centre-forward. In short, when he hits his stride, he is dangerous and versatile, like a goose with Swiss Army knife.

And where better for a player of his age and profile to properly find themselves than with Brighton? The Seagulls have cultivated a reputation in recent years for taking promising players and transforming them into hugely desirable assets. Even disregarding their past endeavours, this summer alone they face rabid interest in the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo, and Evan Ferguson. They are a conveyor belt of talent, a sort of Pimp My Ride for precocious gems who slip through the avaricious cracks of bigger clubs.

To some extent, De Ketelaere would be a departure from their trusted transfer blueprint. For one thing, he would cost considerably more than the usual procession of South American wunderkinds that the scouting truffle pigs root out every few months. Not a year ago, the Belgian cost Milan around £30 million, and at the very least, you would imagine that they would like substantial compensation for their ill-fated purchase - if they were to sell at all. For another, the midfielder is much further along in his development than certain other recent acquisitions; already he has played Champions League football, already he has featured - albeit briefly - at a World Cup.

But then again, Brighton are mingling in a different stratosphere now. For the first time in their history, they will take part in continental competition next season. They can afford - and indeed might have to - cast their net further afield. To that end, De Ketelaere would represent a happy medium; a player of proven pedigree and decent renown, but also one who could grow, thrive, and ultimately still fetch a healthy profit on his resale value.

At a certain point, if Albion are to sustain their development, then they will need to unshackle their ambitions a little when it comes to the transfer market. The danger is when clubs get to this point and let their aspirations of the leash entirely. You would trust wholeheartedly that the relevant chiefs on the south coast won’t succumb to such pitfalls, but equally, it would be nice to see them flex just a little.

With his obvious - if somewhat dulled - credentials, and with the looming spectre of Mac Allister’s exit likely to necessitate investment in his position, De Ketelaere could be the missing link between where Brighton have come from and where they are hoping to stay for the foreseeable future. Then again, their scouting department probably know that already.

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