Latest news with #MaximDeCuyper
BBC News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
🎧 Who could leave?
The latest Albion Unlimited is here and on this week's show, BBC Radio Sussex's Johnny Cantor is joined by former Brighton player Warren Aspinall as they assess the value of pre-season and upcoming team will also be discussing which players could be heading through the Amex exit door and take a look at new left-back recruit Maxim De to the full episode on BBC Sounds
New York Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Maxim De Cuyper gives Brighton three quality left-backs
Brighton & Hove Albion have three senior left-backs in their squad after signing Maxim De Cuyper from Club Brugge. De Cuyper could be competing with Pervis Estupinan and Ferdi Kadioglu for a regular place in Fabian Hurzeler's team. All three defenders are established performers in their mid-to-late twenties, with experience of playing in European club competitions and involvement in big tournaments for their countries. Advertisement Head coach Fabian Hurzeler will have difficult selection decisions to make if the status quo is maintained by the time the summer transfer window shuts on September 1. Having chosen Brighton as the next step in his career, De Cuyper has not arrived at the Amex Stadium to warm the bench. The 24-year-played 54 matches in all competitions for Club Brugge in his 17th and final year with the Belgian club last season, after joining the academy as a boy in 2008. Twelve of those appearances were in the Champions League, including when he scored a first-half equaliser in the first leg of Club Brugge's 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa in a last-16 tie. Nicky Hayen's side went on to lose 6-1 on aggregate (3-1 and 3-0). So, De Cuyper is used to playing and he will not be afraid of the competition he faces either. He was loaned from Club Brugge to Westerlo in Belgium's second tier for two seasons between 2021 and 2023. On his return, after helping Westerlo to promotion to the top-tier Pro League, De Cuyper found the left-back spot blocked by Dutchman Bjorn Meijer. During that period, De Cuyper was initially used at right-back under former manager Ronny Deila before usurping Meijer on the left side of the defence. The striking aspect of De Cuyper's style in the position he occupies is his attacking productivity. In the official announcement of his capture by Brighton last weekend, Hurzeler mentioned his 'great reputation for creativity'. A goal involvement rate not far short of once every three games across a total of 114 appearances for Club Brugge (nine goals and 22 assists) since making his debut against Manchester United in the last 32 of the Europa League in 2020 is impressive output for a left-back. Internationally, this has been replicated at senior level for the former Belgium junior international. De Cuyper has scored three goals in 10 appearances since making his senior debut for his country under then-head coach Domenico Tedesco in a friendly against Montenegro 13 months ago (he was an unused substitute in all four games in Belgium's run to the last 16 of the European Championship in Germany last summer). Advertisement The flip side is that the question marks in Belgium have centred around the defensive side of De Cuyper's game, especially in one-v-one situations against opposing wingers. He does not have a muscular frame, so he has been working hard on strength-building in the gym in Brugge. De Cuyper is a typical Brighton purchase: tracked and swooped upon without much noise until the signing was imminent. A fee of €20million (£17.3m; $23.4m) is relatively modest, both by Premier League standards and in the context of the way the club's spending has developed. Nevertheless, he is the most expensive defender sold out of Belgium's top flight. Brighton have capitalised on De Cuyper's desire to call time on his long stay with Club Brugge this summer, seeing off interest from Serie A clubs in Italy. He was close to a move to Galatasaray last summer but Brugge fended off the Turkish side, with the mutual anticipation of a departure this summer after he assisted during the Champions League campaign. The investment in De Cuyper does not stop at the fee. A five-year contract means Brighton get the naturally left-footed defender in the peak years of his career. Hurzeler also referenced that De Cuyper 'clearly has a winner's mentality' — he won the domestic title three times with Club Brugge, plus the Belgian Cup. There is one other fringe benefit to this signing. He is regarded in Belgium as an accomplished penalty taker, with a nine-out-of-10 record for Brugge and Westerlo. That could be a useful extra attribute for Hurzeler following the sale of penalties expert Joao Pedro to Chelsea. Estupinan has dominated the left-back spot whenever he has been available since a £15million move from Villarreal in August 2022, which was prompted by the departure of Marc Cucurella to Chelsea. The athletic 27-year-old played in the Champions League and the Europa League for the Spanish club — he also featured in the latter competition for Brighton under former head coach Roberto De Zerbi two seasons ago and represented Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup. Hurzeler, at the start of his reign last August, told reporters: 'When he is in his best shape, he's one of the best left-backs in the Premier League. He's full of energy. He's full of power.' Estupinan did not live up to that billing last season, minor injury absences contributing to inconsistent spells across 36 outings in all competitions. Advertisement He fuelled speculation over his future after helping Ecuador to qualify for the 2026 World Cup by saying during an interview in June with broadcaster El Canal Del Futbol in his home country: 'The club know that I would like to grow, that I would like to keep growing. The club have understood this. I've spoken to the club. The club have given me this bit of freedom to make a decision. Now we will try to see better what is on the table and to see where we can go.' Estupinan would have faced a fight for his place last season had it not been for the toe injury suffered by Kadioglu. The swashbuckling 25-year-old showed early promise after a £25m move from Fenerbahce in last summer's transfer window — his stint at the Turkish club included appearances in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League. His contribution to Brighton's 2024-25 campaign ended with a stylish finish at Anfield, his second goal in eight appearances, in a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in November. Yet that injury required surgery, preventing Kadioglu from showing more of his running and dribbling skills. He can also play at right-back or further forward on either flank, but his main position is left-back. Kadioglu, a quarter-finalist with Turkey at Euro 2024, missed the start of pre-season on Sunday when Hurzeler's squad had their first training session. 'But I'm quite positive that he will be back in two weeks,' Hurzeler told reporters a few days before the players returned from their summer break. 'So, let's see. He will be like a new player.' With De Cuyper on board as well, the left-back situation has become an intriguing sub-plot to Brighton's plans for the coming season.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Maxim De Cuyper joins Brighton — Roma target heads to Premier League
It's official: Maxim De Cuyper has joined Brighton. The Belgian left back, who had been closely monitored by Roma as a potential replacement in the event of Angeliño's departure, leaves Club Brugge in a permanent transfer to the Premier League. The 24 year-old defender has signed a five-year contract running until June 30, 2030. The deal is reportedly worth €20 million plus bonuses. Advertisement Brighton confirmed the transfer with an official statement on their website: 'Brighton & Hove Albion are pleased to confirm the signing of defender Maxim De Cuyper from Belgian side Club Brugge, for undisclosed terms, subject to the satisfactory completion of all necessary regulatory processes,' it read. 'The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract until June 2030 and will link up with his new teammates for the start of pre-season training this weekend.'
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Brighton will need to trim their squad – so who should make way?
Joao Pedro's move to Chelsea marks a shift in focus for Brighton & Hove Albion during the summer transfer window. Up to now, business has been dominated by additions to Fabian Hurzeler's squad, five signings costing a total with add-ons of approximately £70million — about £10m more than the package deal for Joao Pedro. Advertisement The latest newcomer, Belgian left-back Maxim De Cuyper from Club Brugge (£17.3m), increases the options for Hurzeler in a position dominated by Pervis Estupinan for the past three seasons. Italian Diego Coppola (£9.4m) from Hellas Verona and Frenchman Olivier Boscagli (free transfer) from PSV refresh the centre of defence. Teenagers Charalampos Kostoulas (£29.6m striker) from Olympiacos, and Tom Watson (£10m winger) from Sunderland increase Hurzeler's attacking choices. Two more players are effectively newcomers for the 2025-26 season, having remained initially after signing with the clubs that sold them. Stefanos Tzimas preceded the move made by fellow countryman Kostoulas, the striker joining from Nurnberg for £20m at the end of the January transfer window. That was followed by the arrival of 18-year-old winger Yoon Do-young from Daejeon Hana Citizen for an undisclosed fee. The South Korean will be loaned out in the coming season. It is not necessarily the end of the incomings, according to a source granted anonymity to protect relationships, but the majority of business from now until September 1 will be about trimming back an overlarge squad, mainly via loans but also the odd permanent departure. 'We bought now a lot of players, I think to sell some players, that's the next part of this process,' head coach Hurzeler told reporters last week. Brighton must name a Premier League squad of no more than 25 players born before January 1st, 2004 for the 2025-26 season, with those born after that date not requiring registration (those under-age players include Brajan Gruda, Carlos Baleba and Yankuba Minteh). As it stands, they have 30 players who would require registration. Clearly some will need to be moved on, even if there were to be no more incomings. The Athletic assesses the main candidates to join Joao Pedro through the exit door… Brighton have a stack of keepers behind No 1 Bart Verbruggen and second choice Jason Steele. Carl Rushworth has more or less given up on trying to break through after loans for four seasons in succession and six years in total at the club without making a first-team appearance. The 24-year-old former England youth international, with two years left on his existing contract and the option of a further year, is reluctant to sign a new deal. Rushworth is attracting both loan and permanent transfer interest from clubs in the UK. Advertisement James Beadle has joined Championship side Birmingham City on loan for the season after helping England Under-21s to win the European Championship in Slovakia. The 20-year-old had stints on loan at Sheffield Wednesday in the second tier for the past one and a half seasons. It looks as if Dutchman Kjell Scherpen will also be on the move after winning the Bundesliga title in Austria twice in successive seasons on loan at Sturm Graz. The 25-year-old told Kleine Zeitung in May: 'For me, it is clear that I have to play and take the next step. Bart Verbruggen stays in Brighton, so the door is not open to me. Let's see where the journey is going.' The signing of Coppola and Boscagli causes extra congestion for places in the centre of defence. Jan Paul van Hecke was a mainstay last season and long-serving captain Lewis Dunk is closing in on the number of appearances he needs to trigger a year's extension to his contract. Igor Julio, Adam Webster and Eiran Cashin could all potentially be struggling for game time. Igor, 27, and 30-year-old Webster were limited by a combination of injuries and the pecking order to 10 and 11 league starts respectively last season out of a possible 38. Igor has played elsewhere in Europe previously, having signed from Fiorentina in Italy two years ago. Both the Brazilian and Webster have attracted interest from other Premier League clubs in the past and during the current window. Cashin only joined at the end of January for £9m from Derby County at the lower end of the Championship. He was a long-term target who is regarded as a long-term project, signed on a contract until 2030. The 23-year-old Irishman, who made two late substitute appearances last season, is a contender for a loan move. One defender has left permanently — Valentin Barco. His loan switch from Sevilla to Strasbourg in January included an obligation to buy for €10m (£8.5m). The 20-year-old Argentinian left-back made 14 starts for the Ligue 1 club last season under former Brighton defender Liam Rosenior. The rumour mill has been quiet so far on Carlos Baleba. At least one leading Premier League club have been monitoring the 21-year-old Cameroon talent without being convinced he is ready to make the next step. The centre of the park is heavily populated after last summer's hectic transfer business included the £25m signings of Matt O'Riley from Celtic and Mats Wieffer from Feyenoord. Both players suffered through injuries and struggled to establish themselves in their regular positions last season. Advertisement O'Riley has been frustrated by not getting a run in the team as a No 8 and he is attracting interest. Brighton are not actively looking to lose the 24-year-old Danish international but, as is the case with all of the club's players, they will listen to offers at the right price in circumstances that work for them. Malick Yalcouye could be loaned out again to further his development after the 19-year-old youth international with Ivory Coast impressed at Sturm Graz. The sale of Joao Pedro means the club will be even more reluctant to lose Kaoru Mitoma as well — although there are circumstances in which that could still happen. Mitoma had no interest in moving to the Saudi Pro League in January, when Al Nassr made exceptional bids of £54m and £61m for a player who turned 28 in May. A big offer from a heavyweight club in England or another of Europe's other top leagues, with the added attraction of Champions League football for example, would be more appealing to the Japanese left winger. He is motivated by career progression, not money. Until and unless such an offer comes in and there is a decision to be made, Mitoma will remain a Brighton player. He is happy and settled at the club, with two years still remaining on his current contract, although reports of him wanting to sign a new deal and stay have been described to The Athletic as 'fake news' by sources close to the player. Keeping Mitoma, coupled with the signing of Watson, would raise a question mark over the future of Simon Adingra. The 23-year-old Ivory Coast winger only made 12 league starts under Hurzeler last season. Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester City), Julio Enciso (Ipswich Town) and Evan Ferguson (West Ham United) all had loans last season at other Premier League clubs. All three players could be on the move again. Another domestic loan would qualify Argentinian Buonanotte as homegrown in his fourth year at the club. Enciso, 21, is the likeliest of the trio to leave permanently.
New Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Brighton sign Belgium defender De Cuyper
BRIGHTON & Hove Albion have signed Belgium defender Maxim De Cuyper on a five-year contract from Club Brugge, the Premier League club said on Saturday. De Cuyper, 24, helped Brugge win the Belgian Pro League in 2023-24, and the Belgian Cup last season. He made his Belgium debut in June 2024, and has earned 10 international caps, scoring three goals. "He has a great reputation for creativity and has shown his ability across different positions, although we primarily see him challenging for a left-back spot with us," Brighton coach Fabian Huerzeler said in a statement. Brighton begin their league campaign at home to Fulham on August 16. — REUTERS
