Nigeria defender Leon Balogun says he is looking forward to playing at Brighton & Hove Albion after completing his “dream” move to the Premier League club.
Balogun signed a two-year deal with Brighton on Tuesday after his contract with Bundesliga club Mainz ended.
“I always had a dream to play in the Premier League, and Brighton was one of the first teams to show an interest in me,” Balogun told the club’s official website.
“I’ve been following English football as much as I can in Germany, and I saw how they got promoted from the Championship.
“I liked the way they played last season in the Premier League too and how they were able to maintain their status. It’s really impressive how they work, not just as individuals, but as a team too.”
The 29-year-old Nigerian also reserved some praise for Pascal Gross who in the past featured for 1899 Hoffenheim, Karlsruher SC and FC Ingolstadt in the German Bundesliga.
“I know Pascal Gross. The fans have voted him player of the season and I think he did a brilliant job in Germany,” Balogun added.
“He’s not the fastest player, but he’s very intelligent and can play with his left foot and right foot too He runs a lot and works hard for the team.
“I just met the manager and spoke to him on the phone once. He seems like a real gentleman, who is very calm, polite and knows exactly what he wants to do.
“You can see that in the way in which the team performed throughout the season.”
Balogun is also relishing the new adventure which awaits him in the EPL.
“I think the Premier League is more competitive. The Bundesliga is probably the most comparable to the Premier League.
“Every footballer wants to compete and I think that’s the biggest challenge. It’s more physical, which I personally like. It’s a bit quicker as well and the individual quality in each team is on another level in comparison to the Bundesliga.
“This is my first club outside of Germany, so there will be a lot of new stuff to adapt to, but I am looking forward to this new experience.”
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