With Joel Matip leaving and defensive leader Filsil Van Dijk turning 33, it is time to invest in the future.
The focus is on the talent to lead the final line, along with Ibrahima Konate and Jarel Quansah.
Numerous centre-back names have surfaced and disappeared in the past. Piero Hincapie, Jonathan Tah, Leny Yoro, Goncalo Inácio and Marc Guehi are the top names, with others in their early to late 20s and a huge range of ages.
Striker Troy Deeney, who scored 140 goals in 419 games for Watford during his playing career, has made a bold prediction about the departure of Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who plays for Brighton, and says he will move to a big club like Liverpool next summer.
“He’s [Van Hecke] wonderful on the ball, looks so calm and composed,”
“I think he’ll be the one they end up selling next year to someone like Liverpool. He’s naturally left-footed and never looks flustered. A clean sheet for a Brighton team who keep on rolling.”
BBC Sport
He joined Brighton in the summer of 2020 but failed to establish himself in the first team, gaining experience at Heerenveen and Blackburn.
From the 2022/23 season, he gradually started to come on and was a fixture in the starting line-up from last season. He made 39 appearances throughout the Premier League and Europa League.
The 24-year-old defender, who will be a regular this season, has rapidly increased his reputation in about a year and has developed into a player who is no surprise to be listed by the strongest clubs. He combines consistent performances with the abilities required of a modern defender, both at a high level.
With left-backs and left-back centre-backs also being targeted, it is clear that he would be a good addition to the final line, but Brighton are not going to let him go easily, and with his contract remaining until 2027, they will be demanding a hefty fee for him.
Will the Dutch centre-back, who is making a name for himself in the Premier League, make the step up to another club next summer?