Liverpool and Newcastle stars react as Tommy Watson signs for Brighton
Brighton’s newest signing “can’t wait to get started” on the south coast just days after he fired his former side back to the Premier League.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side agreed a deal with Sunderland to sign Tommy Watson in April, and the 19-year-old has made waves in the two months since as the Black Cats returned to the top-flight in dramatic style.
Watson proved to be Sunderland‘s hero in the Championship play-off final on 24 May, as he came off the bench to score a 95th-minute winner against Sheffield United and book their Premier League place.
Sunderland will therefore join Brighton at the summit of English football after their relegation in 2017 coincided with the Seagulls’ promotion, and Watson’s goal could prove to be significant for both sides.
Watson ‘can’t wait’ after Brighton complete transfer
Sunderland have long since been consigned to losing Watson at the end of the season, but their loss could prove to be Brighton’s gain after the winger left his boyhood club with the ultimate parting gift.
Brighton confirmed the arrival of Watson on the opening day of the transfer window (1 June), and the teenage prospect has already made clear that he’s capable of scoring big goals in the biggest of games.
At the Amex Stadium with a Brighton shirt in hand, Watson posted on Instagram (2 June) with a message to fans in which he said: “Delighted to sign for this club! Can’t wait to get started in Blue and White”.
Newcastle midfielder Lewis Miley liked Watson’s post, while Liverpool youngster Lewis Koumas left a comment to say: “Enjoy bro”.
Brighton ready to break bank after Watson transfer
Watson is the first of two new faces whose arrivals at the Amex have already been confirmed, with South Korean winger Yoon Doo-young’s £2million transfer from Daejeon Hana Citizen to be unveiled on 1 July.
Hurzeler hasn’t slowed down in his efforts to bolster Brighton’s stocks out wide, and the Seagulls are set to go toe-to-toe with newly-promoted Leeds for the signature of Feyenoord’s £33m forward Igor Paixao.
Joao Pedro looks set to be on his way out of Brighton this summer and Everton have declared interest in Matt O’Riley, but it remains to be seen which players the Seagulls will sell in order to facilitate a move for Paixao.