Brighton & Hove Albion began this season in a better position than most. They were the highest-ranked Premier League team in 2024-25 to not qualify for Europe. Without that workload, so the supposition went, they could properly kick on and finally challenge the elite consistently in the manner that had always been the end goal.
The same manager was in place, Fabian Hurzeler, likely better off for his debut campaign in English football. Joao Pedro was the only first-team departure who left an obvious hole, but Brighton spent £30m on Charalampos Kostoulas as a replacement. Between June 2024 and August 2025, they invested around £310m on transfer fees.
Brighton have won one league game since the end of November, at home to Burnley. Ten days ago they were booed at the end of a home defeat to rivals Crystal Palace and, since then, they have lost further matches in two competitions without scoring. A team that was flawed but eminently watchable has become lethargic and easier to defend than at any point over the last four years.
Brighton supporters are quickly losing – or have already lost – faith in Hurzeler. He stands accused not just of underperformance but a particular brand of frustrating overthinking whereby players are picked in seemingly unfamiliar roles that has knocked confidence and prolonged this funk.
You see the point. In 26 Premier League games, Hurzeler has started six different players as a defensive midfielder, four at right-back, six on the right wing and five on the left. Ferdi Kadioglu has started in four different positions, Diego Gomez in four too. Mats Wieffer has played most of his games at right-back and Georginio Rutter most of his as a No 10. Not enough of it makes sense and the results prove as much. Were this the first season, fine. But…
Brighton clearly don’t want to sack Hurzeler. He was given a show of faith by chief executive Paul Barber in the Palace programme notes, Barber referring to “growing fan impatience across large parts of the football landscape”. Brighton haven’t sacked a manager mid-season since Sami Hyypia in 2014 and they crave certainty.
The German, if he is to blame for this messy, unformed season, is also a useful distraction from a recruitment methodology that has achieved mini-miracles over the last half decade but has made its first significant missteps.
That £310m spend includes six players signed for £25m or more, but only two have started more than half of Brighton’s league matches in 2025-26. Brajan Gruda has already been loaned back out to RB Leipzig, while Matt O’Riley and Kostoulas have started four matches between them. Danny Welbeck’s Benjamin Button football career remains a blessing; his goals have been worth eight league points.
This is no calamity, of course. Brighton have proven themselves capable of overcoming hurdles inflicted upon them by others (read: Chelsea) and their managerial recruitment is typically excellent. That is a product of the environment. This is a fine place to work and every employee I have ever spoken to has been at pains to mention as much.
Brighton also are not going to go down, even if this home straight arrives with an unpleasant limp and a stitch. Take a step back; that is extraordinary. If this is a step backwards, it is only because the consolidation years (2017-2021) made way for the potential ceiling being lifted while Brighton supporters rarely worried about the floor.
We are about to find out whether this is a Brighton problem or a Hurzeler problem; supporters certainly have far more faith in the leadership than the head coach. He has done well to last until now, given the last three months. His club has reached a phase in which moving forwards is the only option. This season, there were fewer excuses than ever.
Because Brighton must also know that they are selling a vision and a commitment that they will not go the same way as other smart upstarts who eventually lost their way. If supporting this club over the last 15 years has been a dream, it is not easy when you suspect that the peak is always one more climb away.
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