“Seagulls Set Sights on Benfica’s Bah: A Gamble Brighton Fans Can’t Ignore”
The Seagulls have acquired Newcastle’s Yankuba Minteh, Feyenoord’s Mats Wieffer, Nordsjælland’s Ibrahim Osman, and Arsenal’s Amario Cozier-Duberry. Despite the excitement around these signings, Brighton fans have been calling for defensive reinforcements, particularly right backs. Brighton has taken note and is reportedly targeting several strong right backs, including Turkey and Fenerbahçe star Ferdi Kadıoğlu and Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters.
According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, another name on Brighton’s radar is Benfica right back Alexander Bah. The Danish international joined Benfica for €8m in June 2022, and the club now wants €20m for him. This price is significantly lower than what Fenerbahçe and Southampton are asking for Kadıoğlu and Walker-Peters, and Bah is not much worse in quality.
When available, Bah has been one of Benfica’s most reliable players and is considered one of the best attacking fullbacks outside Europe’s top five leagues. He is also known for his aggressive tackling, which could suit the Premier League well. However, Bah’s availability is a concern, as he has missed 32 matches due to injuries since joining Benfica in 2022, including a significant three-month absence last season due to a foot injury.
Given Brighton’s current issues with injury-prone right backs like Tariq Lamptey and Joel Veltman, adding another such player could be risky. The Seagulls have had to rotate between Veltman, Lamptey, and midfielders Pascal Gross and Jack Hinshelwood to cover the right back position, contributing to their struggles last season. If Brighton aim to compete for European spots, they need a reliable high-quality right back, making a €20m investment in an injury-prone player like Bah a considerable gamble.