A host of huge money transfers has broken several records this summer, but Premier League new boys Brighton & Hove Albion are about to shatter their own transfer record by signing Colombian winger Jose Izquierdo for a reported £13.5 million.
Izquierdo, 25, has spent the last 4 seasons at Belgian side Club Brugges, scoring an impressive 38 goals in 117 total appearances. He this summer broke into the Colombian national team, being called up for the friendlies against Spain and Cameroon.
Brighton boss Chris Hughton had already broken the Seagulls transfer records twice this summer – initially paying £5m for Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan to Valencia, and then earlier in the week paying PSV Eindhoven for their Dutch midfielder Davy Propper.
There is no doubt that Brighton are doing all they can to keep their Premier League heads above water, being widely expected to be one of the three clubs that suffer the ignominy of relegation (back) to the Championship next May. Quite how long this transfer fee stays as the record for Brighton remains to be seen, as they continue to search for a high quality and proven striker to score them the goals they will need to stay up.
JOSE IZQUIERDO – FACT FILE
- Age : 25
- Nationality : Colombian
- Position : Winger (Left)
- Height : 1.71m (5ft 7ins)
- Previous Clubs : Deportivo Pereira, Once Caldas, Club Brugge
- Total Appearances : 245
- Total Goals : 66
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