Brighton opinion: Mikael Ishak can replace an ageing Murray

Brighton and Hove Albion were one of last season’s surprise packages as they came into the league as outsiders despite finishing in second place on the EFL Championship table. They were able to claw out a 15th-place finish, which forced some of the Premier League regulars back into the lower division.

This season though, things have taken a massive turn for the better, as with only around 8 weeks of Premier League action left to play, they are already occupying the 15th position with just two points separating them from 13th-placed Newcastle United. 

Chris Hughton has managed to add some new life into this Brighton side again this term, having pulled off some excellent results against the bigger teams last season.

With a minimal transfer budget, the job done by Hughton in the best interest of the club is commendable indeed. 

The development of all the infrastructure at the Amex stadium has come as a positive for the Seagulls while the players in the Brighton ranks are more than capable of challenging for a place in the top half of the table given that the conditions are more ideal. 

This season, although their record has been quite average, they’ve recorded 33 points from 29 games, which puts them level on points with 14th-placed Crystal Palace.

Considering that Palace have top players like Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend to call up on, Brighton’s season can only be classed as a huge success. 

One their main areas of concern ahead of next season would be replacing veteran English striker Glenn Murray, who is their top scorer in the league this season.

Although he’s got goals on a fairly consistent basis, his age is a deterring factor, which is reason enough for Brighton to play their hand in the transfer market.

They do have two other striker options in their ranks but Jurgen Locadia has often been utilised on the left flank by Chris Hughton while Romanian Florin Andonne is yet to make a name for himself at the Amex Stadium. 

Brighton should make a summer move for Swedish international striker Mikael Ishak in their bid to replace 35-year-old striker Murray. The 25-year-old currently plays for Nuremberg in the Bundesliga and is one of the club’s most influential players. 

Read more Brighton news, click here: Brighton latest news

Ishak is a tall forward who is an excellent finisher in the box and is also adept at hold-up play. He lacks pace but he more than makes up for it in reactions and heading.

Conclusion

His 5 goals and 3 assists this season have come from 23 matches. The 25-year-old has the right skill-set for the English game and Brighton must get him in the summer.