“Brighton and Hove Albion Face Start of Season Without Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen Due to Injury”
Brighton and Hove Albion will start the new Premier League season without their first-choice goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen. Verbruggen, who performed brilliantly for the Netherlands at Euro 2024 and helped them reach the semi-finals before losing to England, is expected to miss six weeks due to an unspecified injury.
The 21-year-old, who joined Albion from Anderlecht last summer for £16 million, was set to be the primary goalkeeper for new head coach Fabian Hurzeler. However, this injury will delay those plans. Last season, Verbruggen shared goalkeeping duties with Jason Steele under former coach Roberto De Zerbi, making 27 appearances as he was gradually introduced to Premier League play.
Verbruggen will miss Albion’s pre-season trip to Japan and the first two league matches—away at Everton on August 17 and at home against Manchester United on August 24. He may return for the third match against Arsenal on August 31.
In his absence, Steele is likely to step up again, but Carl Rushworth, who impressed on loan at Swansea last season, may also get an opportunity. Albion also have Canadian international Tom McGill, with Kjell Scherpen and James Beadle currently on loan at Sturm Graz and Sheffield Wednesday, respectively.