Even though the 2024 transfer window does not close for another month and a half, Brighton have already spent almost €100m on players this summer. Only Aston Villa have spent more than the Seagulls.
This is a sign of Brighton owner Tony Bloom’s ambitious plan to make Brighton regular contenders for European football. However, it has to be said that most of Brighton’s signings have been on young players with big upside and not proven players who will help them qualify for Europe this season.
If the Seagulls really want to establish themselves as Premier League powerhouses, they will have to spend on proven players. Roberto De Zerbi left the club because he thought they were unwilling to make these kinds of signings.
So far, De Zerbi has been right. The club have continued to sign wonderkids and not proven names. However, that could be changing soon. The club are now in a transfer battle for one of Europe’s best full backs.
According to multiple outlets in Turkey, Brighton are in a three-team battle to sign Fenerbahçe defender Ferdi Kadıoğlu. Sevilla and Dortmund, two clubs with big European pedigrees, are the other clubs trying to sign the Fenerbahçe star.
The versatile player lit up Euros playing as a left back for Turkey. For Fenerbahçe, Kadıoğlu has primarily played right back, but he has also filled in at left back, left midfielder, and as a central midfielder.
Kadıoğlu was one of the best tacklers in Turkey last season and was ultra reliable. No player played more minutes in the Turkish Super League than him last year.
Additionally, Fbref rates Kadıoğlu as one of the best attacking fullbacks in all of Europe. He is in the 99th percentile for passes attempted, progressive passes, progressive carries, and in the 98th percentile for successful take ons.
Kadıoğlu is the exact type of player Brighton have been missing at right back since Tariq Lampey’s career stalled with recurring injuries. Signing him will not be easy though.
Fenerbahçe reportedly want upwards of £30m for Kadıoğlu. This is a price that Sevilla and Dortmund can afford to pay. For Brighton, this would mean breaking their club transfer record on a right back. For context, both Brighton’s current right backs cost the club less than £2m combined to sign.
Brighton say they want to contend for European football this season. We’re unsure how realistic that ambition is though. Young players can only get the club so far. Spending big on a player like Kadıoğlu would be proof that Brighton are actually committed to securing European football once again.
