If there’s one thing we can agree on, it’s that Brighton know how to scout a top talent who’s ready for the Premier League.
So, when a former Brighton scouts steps forwards and names a couple of players who he likes, then you should probably pay attention. Step forward Bert Konterman.
He’s been speaking on the programme De Oosttribune this week. During that show, he was asked to name which Feyenoord players might be capable of playing in the Premier League.
Obvious candidate
The obvious candidate is defender Ruud Nijstad. He’s currently the rising star at the Dutch club and has, subsequently, been linked with clubs all over Europe.
Some of that interest is in the Premier League. Indeed, earlier this year, Sport Witness reported how Konterman had been telling Brighton to sign the 18-year-old. They never did that, and he’s left the Seagulls since.
Since then, Chelsea have become particularly interested. They’re even trying to beat Barcelona to his signature.
Konterman admits he’s a fan, in fact he openly says as much, but he’s not the one he’d be recommending. According to him, the youngster’s performances fluctuate too much at this moment in time for a recommendation.
Better recommendation
Instead, he would be telling clubs to look at midfielder Daouda Weidmann. As far as he’s convinced, the 23-year-old is good to go.
“I think he’s a very appealing player for the English league,” he said.
“You don’t necessarily have to be very tall, but you do need the power to cover ground. You also have to be clever in your duels—it’s not just about raw strength; you need intelligence in those challenges, too. I think Weidmann is very capable of that.
“I think he’s already proving himself at FC Twente; he’s a standout performer week in, week out.”
Whether any Premier League clubs show an interest in the coming months remains to be seen. At this point, none appear to have their eyes on the youngster.
But that could easily change if he continues to impress at Twente as he currently has. The fact that the likes of Konterman would put him ahead of Nijstad is very telling.
