Brighton have this evening confirmed the capture of striker Jurgen Locadia from PSV Eindhoven.
Speculation about the 24 year old grew as the day went on and although the transfer fee paid has not been revealed by Brighton, he is now our new club record fee signing and he’s penned a contract until the summer of 2022 after passing his medical.
Speaking to the Official Site as his signing was announced this evening, manager Chris Hughton said of the player.
‘We are delighted to have signed Jurgen, and pleased to welcome him to the club. He is a player we have been aware of for sometime, and it`s been no secret we have wanted to add a striker of his type. He is a strong, powerful and quick centre-forward, with a real eye for goal and will increase our attacking options in the second half of the season. Jurgen already has a prolific goal record with PSV in the Dutch top division, and it is one we hope he can continue here with us in the Premier League.’
Having begun his professional career at PSV, he scored a hattrick on his debut as an 18 year old substitute in their six nil win over VVV-Venlo back in 2012/13 and having played his part in helping PSV to the Eredivisie title in 2015 and 2016, he also lifted the Dutch Super Cup in both of those years.
At PSV he played alongside Davy Propper so has a friendly face to welcome him into training.
He leaves PSV with 45 goals and 34 assists in 82 starts and 45 substitute appearances, and in the first half of this season he’s bagged nine goals and six assists.
He also has 14 goals to his name in the KNVB Cup and three in European competition and he is a Dutch international at every age level from U17 to U21 and he has been called into the senior squad, but is yet to win his first cap.
Brighton have handed him the No 25 shirt for the campaign and hopefully the lad will hit the ground running and play a massive part for us in the second half of the campaign.
Heading out of the club today was winger Soufyan Ahannach.
The player arrived at Brighton back in the summer from Dutch Eerste Divisie side Almere City but he has now headed back to Holland for a loan spell with Sparta Rotterdam to aide his development.
Hughton explained.
‘Soufyan was brought in initially as a member of the development squad, and to be pushing to breakthrough into the first-team squad, but he has found those opportunities limited during the first half of the season. This loan move offers him the chance to go and play regular first-team football with Sparta Rotterdam in the top division in the Dutch League. It is a good move for all parties – the two clubs, but most importantly Soufyan, and this will help his development moving forward.’
