Why Brighton should go all out to sign Nick Powell in January
According to The Sun, Brighton and Celtic are expected to go hammer and tongs at each other to land midfielder Nick Powell in January. The Seagulls want to make an improved bid to sign the 24-year-old, who currently plays for Championship outfit Wigan Athletic. Meanwhile, Celtic are also willing to spend £5million on Powell (h/t The Sun).
Powell made his debut for Crewe Alexandra at the age of 16, before signing for Manchester United in 2012. He made a total of 9 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions, including three in the Premier League. He failed to break into the first team amidst stiff competition and spent most of his time away on loan.
The player impressed at Wigan Atheltic on loa in the 2013/14, scoring seven goals in the Championship. Subsequently, he joined the club permanently upon the expiry of his contract with United in 2016. The 24-year-old has rejuvenated his career and has finally shown signs of promise to fulfil his potential after ending a nightmarish spell at Old Trafford.
The former England U21 international was instrumental in Wigan’s successful campaign in the League One last season, where he scored a total of 15 goals and helped the Latics secure promotion to the Championship. He has hit the ground running in the Championship as well, taking his game to a new level with 3 goals and 3 assists from seven appearances.
And this is the perfect time for him to take the next step. Although Celtic are also interested (h/t The Sun), a move to the Premier League should be the way forward. Powell must test himself once more in England’s top-flight, considering he didn’t play much during his stint at United. At Brighton, he should receive plenty of opportunities to work on his flaws and his recent run of form could work wonders for the Seagulls.
Manager Chris Hughton set the ball rolling in the summer transfer window and bolstered his squad with a few big signings. While the mega-money acquisition of Iranian winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Yves Bissouma made the headlines, the Seagulls also added depth by signing Bernardo, Martin Montoya and Florin Andone.
Brighton have made a promising start to their Premier League campaign and currently sit 14th, with one win, one draw and two losses. The Seagulls took everyone by surprise when they pulled off a 3-2 victory over Manchester United last month.
Chris Hughton’s men have shown a lot of character and resilience to compete for their survival in the Premier League. Even in the game against Liverpool, they showed considerable intent to fight back despite going behind early in the tie.
The Seagulls have quite a few attacking options but they must add greater depth by signing Nick Powell in January. Pascal Gross and Glenn Murray have shown a good understanding between themselves and have linked play quite well with Solly March and Anthony Knockaert down the flanks. Given that Murray is already 34, however, this season might be his swansong and Brighton should look for a replacement.
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To that end, Powell can play as a supporting striker. Although he is primarily a central attacking playmaker by trade, who often uses his vision to build the play, he also has a keen eye for the goal.
Brighton are doing well currently but they should add more creativity to their final third and Powell is just the ideal man.
