Pro League Get A Huge No From Brighton

FT Desk

• Updated: 10 Feb 2025 08:09 CST
• 4 min read

The January edition of the New Year transfer window is almost now at a close for the 2024/25 campaign, and as has now become typical for football fans of all colours up and down the country, we have been treated to some very sensible strengthening suggestions for some sides, as well as some absolutely bizarre claims for others.

In many ways compared to previous windows even the speculation rumour mill has been a bit boring and very hit and miss this month, but that all seemed to change this last week as things went a little bit wild and for those fans who look for transfer odds on the best betting websites, it would have been a welcome boost.

Arsenal's never ending search for a striker was back on the front pages as news of their bid for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins broke a matter of hours before kick off in their must win Champions League clash with Celtic, new West Ham manager Graham Potter had apparently made Brighton uber talent Evan Ferguson his top goalscoring target despite him only finding the net once in the first half of the year and Ruben Amorim appears like he wants to sell everyone in the squad.

Oh and the Saudi Arabian Pro League made a comeback with a €77 million offer for serial bench warmer Jhon Duran, and Al-Nassr backed that offer up with a further offer for Kaoru Mitoma, and as the Amex Stadium outfit knocked them right back, it was hugely believed that they would simply come back with a higher second offer.

Having rebuffed the claimed €65m opener, even Seagulls fans probably expected the 27-year-old to eventually move on ahead of deadline day as it has been how the club have operated, buying talent for very sensible prices but then holding on to maximise the eventual 'best offer' that could then be reinvested in the squad.

With talk of £90 million potentially being the follow up, the deal going through was almost a no brainer given the clubs (and players) that have jumped when silly money gets put on the table.

But credit where it is due here, with it being believed that the 26 capped Japanese international had no intention of pushing for a move to chase the money as he was perfectly happy with where he finds himself in life, as polite talks continued between the sides whatever Brighton actually said to Al-Nassr had them confirm earlier today that their attempt to pursue the player was now over.

Obviously, the message would have been they had no intention of selling him but since the Pro League's emergence as a destination for European based players, particularly with the finances they were willing to throw around, there are very few examples really of a player and their club standing firm together.

The Saudi transfer window closes later this evening, so although we can certainly expect plenty of additional action over the coming days from those clubs, both home and abroad, still wishing to strengthen and spend, those in the wider world of football will again be waiting to see if the Pro League's riches return during the summer.