Pascal Gross could be a bargain buy but aim for Brighton is Premier League survival

Anthony Knockaert

LAST SEASON

2nd (Championship)

TOP SCORER

Glenn Murray (23)

KEY INS

Davy Propper (PSV, £10m), Matthew Ryan (Valencia, £5m), Markus Suttner (Ingolstadt, £3.8m), Pascal Gross (Ingolstadt, £2.5m), Ales Mateju (Viktoria Plzen, £2.1m)

KEY OUTS

David Stockdale (Birmingham, free), Oliver Norwood (Fulham, loan)

REASONS TO BE POSITIVE

Have retained all their core players, Hughton has fostered a fine team spirit and nearly all these players have never experienced the top-flight and will be hungry to impress.

REASON TO BE PESSIMISTIC

How they adapt to the step up in standards and consistency of the top-flight is a major challenge for a limited squad. At 33, journeyman Murray is their best source for goals.

ONE TO WATCH

Pascal Gross. A technically sound, silky but hard-working playmaker. Could prove a bargain.

EXPECTATION

Survival. The Seagulls have a long-term strategy of becoming a top-10 club, but for now 17th will do.

REALITY

It’ll be a long, hard and eventful experience but they need to find a way of scoring goals and turning the Amex Stadium into a fortress in order to avoid the drop.