We are less than two weeks into the European summer transfer window, and Brighton are the Premier League’s second biggest spenders. The Seagulls aren’t done yet though. They are now going after one of Europe’s best young forwards.
According to SportBild, Brighton are a strong contender to sign Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier. The 21-year-old center forward was one of the breakout stars in Europe during the 2023/24 season.
In his first full Bundesliga season with Hoffenheim last year, Beier scored 16 goals in 33 matches. He was also a part of Germany’s squad at this summer’s Euros. Beier came on as a sub against Switzerland in his only appearance at the tournament.
Pellegrino Matarazzo and Hoffenheim would like to keep Beier after his breakout campaign, but the club may not be able to afford to.
SportBild and other outlets have reported that Hoffenheim need to balance the books ahead of the next Bundesliga season. Selling Beier would be the best way the club could raise cash quickly before then. The club reportedly want €30m for him.
If Hoffenheim do decide to sell Beier they would have plenty of potential buyers. Brighton are not the only club interested in the German wonderkid. Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United have also been linked to Beier.
On paper, Aston Villa or Liverpool make more sense for Beier than the Seagulls. With Joao Pedro, Evan Ferguson, Danny Welbeck, and potentially Deniz Undav ahead of him, it is hard to see Beier getting the minutes he needs with Brighton.
There’s also the issue with his transfer fee. If Brighton spend €30m on a forward, they will be expecting a player who could come in and compete for a starting position right away.
Villa and Liverpool, meanwhile, can afford to spend more on a player who won’t come in and have an immediate impact. They also have more room in their squad, with Aston Villa potentially selling Jhon Duran and with Liverpool having few true No. 9s on their squad.
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