Jurgen Locadia says his long-term future remains in the hands of Brighton but would be open to making his loan stint at Hoffenheim permanent. The 26-year-old was sent out on loan to the Bundesliga side in the dying days of the summer transfer window having failed to impress new Seagulls boss Graham Potter.
After a stuttering start to life in Germany, the Dutch forward has found his stride and scored in his last three league outings for Hoffenheim before the international break.
Having settled into life at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena and with a rapport building between himself and coach Alfred Schreuder, who is also Dutch and persuaded him to make the switch, Locadia admits he could be prepared to stay long-term in Germany.
However, with two-and-a-half years still left to run on his Brighton contract, the Emmen-born frontman says the decision on his future does not lie entirely with him. “Where I play next season will not be my decision”, Locadia told Dutch broadcaster FOX Sports. “Brighton also have a say in it. But as it is now, I am certainly open to a longer stay.”
A permanent move away from the Amex Stadium would certainly seem a distinct possibility with Locadia having failed to settle at Brighton since his club-record £14million move from PSV Eindhoven in January 2018.
Having struggled for fitness in his first six months on the south coast, Locadia made 33 appearances in all competitions for the Seagulls last season but managed to score just four times.
A large chunk of those appearances also came as a substitute and Locadia made the switch to Hoffenheim in the hope of establishing himself in the starting line-up, with the ultimate aim being a call up to the senior Netherlands squad.
Brighton don’t have too many striking options with Potter having just three strikers to choose from in Neal Maupay, Glenn Murray and youngster Aaron Connolly.
Potter’s preference is to play two up front and so an injury to any of that trio would leave him shorthanded.
However, he seems to have made it clear that both Locadia and Florin Andone, who is on loan at Galatasaray, have no future at Brighton while he remains in charge.
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