Brighton’s midfield workhorse and Moises Caicedo’s partner in crime, Pascal Gross has renewed his contract with the Seagulls which will bind the 31-year-old to the Amex for at least 2 more seasons.
Gross, who was brought to the club in the summer of 2017, was historically Brighton’s first signing following their promotion to the Premier League in 2017.
The midfielder was brought from the third division of German Football from FC Ingolstadt 04 for a sum of E3 million.
Over the course of six seasons, Gross has gone on to become one of the key members of the Brighton squad. The German made 205 appearances for the Seagulls, scoring 23 goals and assisting 33 times.
Pascal signed a new contract last summer which was supposed to expire this June.
The 31-year-old has missed just one match for Brighton in all competitions this season, netting seven goals in his 35 outings for the club.
Particularly a defensive midfielder, Pascal attributes expertise in featuring in any of the midfield positions. The German can also slot in as a right-back, adding more utility and versatility to his arsenal.
With 7 goals and 5 assists, Gross is the club’s second-highest goal contributor this season, only behind Solly March (14).
Yet to represent Germany at the international setup, the Brighton-man has been a part of Germany’s U-18, 19 and 20 levels. Gross has also been a part of Hoffenheim and Karlsruher earlier in his career.
While some would argue there are other players that Brighton needs to rescue first, (Caicedo and Mac Allister in particular), Gross’s renewal could prove to be crucial for De Zerbi’s midfield. The German brings experience and consistency to the table, and his versatility can come in handy to any coach in the top flight of English football. With the Seagulls slowly turning into talent-feeders, Pascal Gross could turn out to be one of the more underrated yet no less important pieces of Brighton’s puzzle.
Speaking of the man himself, De Zerbi expressed his delight over the renewal of Brighton’s #13. Speaking post the renewal, the Brighton boss stated the following:
Iam absolutely delighted that Pascal has agreed a new contract with us.
He is one of best players I have worked with during my career and every day I appreciate him more and more.
He is one of the secrets to Albion’s success.
Brighton & Hove Albion are currently residing seventh on the Premier League table having played 29 games. Though currently outsiders, the players will be keen to make one final stretch to force their way into the top 4 within the remainder of the season.