Brighton and Hove Albion have once again secured a promising talent from the Belgian Pro League. While forward Deniz Undav`s move to England didn`t pan out as hoped, there`s strong reason to believe Maxim De Cuyper will find success on the south coast. The established system at the Sussex club appears ideally suited to foster the left-back`s development, potentially making him a regular for the Belgian national team. Although De Cuyper was linked with significant clubs like AC Milan this summer, his decision to join Brighton in the Premier League is likely to prove a smart career step.
Historically, many players have faced difficulties transitioning from the Belgian top flight to the demanding English Premier League. Strikers such as Undav and Paul Onuachu couldn`t quite adapt, and midfielder Sander Berge hasn`t fully reached his anticipated potential. However, two notable exceptions who successfully made this transition and subsequently excelled are Kaoru Mitoma and Leandro Trossard. A key factor common to both was their initial move from Belgium to Brighton. Trossard has since achieved success at Arsenal, while Mitoma remains a widely discussed player this summer.
De Cuyper`s advantage lies in his position; unlike Undav, he is not a striker judged solely on goals. Nevertheless, he possesses a significant attacking threat. He is recognized as one of the top penalty takers in Belgium and stands out as one of the league`s highest-scoring left-backs. Last season, De Cuyper scored more goals than 90% of players in his position. His creative output is also impressive, leading the league in chances created, which contributed to his six assists in the recent campaign. Across the 2023/2024 season, he provided 11 assists in 55 appearances. He embodies the profile of a modern full-back, and if he can maintain the level of performance shown at Club Brugge, he will quickly become a favourite among the Brighton faithful.
Competition for places is standard at Brighton, a situation De Cuyper is well accustomed to. Upon returning from a loan spell at Westerlo, he competed directly with Bjorn Meijer for the starting left-back role at Club Brugge. Initially, De Cuyper even played right-back to accommodate Meijer, but eventually, demonstrating his capability, he won the primary left-back position from the young Dutch defender.
Club Brugge looks set to potentially lose both De Cuyper and Meijer this summer. It`s highly probable they have another emerging star ready to step up from their acclaimed academy. The club continues its strategy of cashing in on its talented youth prospects, which validates the excellent work done in recent years by their academy setup. Brighton will rightly receive accolades for their astute recruitment strategy, and De Cuyper is likely to be the next signing to earn significant praise for the Seagulls. However, it`s crucial to acknowledge and credit the clubs that were instrumental in developing these players before their move to the Premier League coast.
