Fabian Hürzeler reveals ex-Sunderland man Tommy Watson loan option after £10m switch

Brighton winger Tommy Watson could yet spend the second half of the season away from the Amex Stadium, with a loan move emerging as a possible option as he looks to build momentum and regular minutes.

The 19-year-old joined the Seagulls last summer in a deal worth around £10million from Sunderland, signing a contract that runs until June 2029. Watson arrived on the south coast on the back of a dramatic end to his time on Wearside, having scored the decisive goal in the Championship play-off final victory over Sheffield United at Wembley.

However, opportunities have been limited during his first campaign in the Premier League. Watson has so far featured for just 56 minutes in the top flight, alongside a brief one-minute appearance in the FA Cup, as he continues to adapt to life at a new club and a higher level.

His most eye-catching contributions came earlier in the season in the Carabao Cup. Watson marked his introduction from the bench with a superb goal during Brighton’s 6-0 win away at Oxford United, before following that up by registering three assists in the subsequent round against Barnsley.

Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler has acknowledged that a temporary move could be considered, though he stressed that fitness and consistency in training remain the immediate priorities for the young winger. “Yes, also for him a loan is a possibility,” Hürzeler told Sussex World. “But I think regarding him, the most important thing is that he gets back into his rhythm regarding his availability, because again, last week he couldn't train regularly.

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“He missed some sessions, and I think that's the worst thing that can happen to a young player to not get into a rhythm, to not be on the training pitch, to not train with the boys, to not have the opportunity to improve himself and to show himself. So therefore I think the main thing for him is getting into rhythm, and then, like I just mentioned, we have to make the right decision for the club and the player.”

Watson is most comfortable operating from the left-hand side, an area of the pitch where competition is fierce at Brighton. Kaoru Mitoma remains the first-choice option in that role, while Hürzeler can also call upon Diego Gomez, Ferdi Kadioglu and Maxim De Cuyper, all of whom currently appear to be ahead of Watson in the pecking order. With the January window entering its final stages, the coming weeks could prove decisive in determining whether Watson remains on the south coast or heads out on loan in search of the regular football needed to reignite his progress following his decision to leave Sunderland at the end of last season.

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