Brighton Fan View: New faces would be needed even if key duo stay

Three points this weekend and Brighton can turn the focus towards which areas of the team we need to strengthen for next season.

A win at Burnley would be enough to give us a second season of Premier League football, although I am hopeful we may already have enough points.

Staying up would be a tremendous achievement and what we would then have to do is strengthen a little year by year. That’s how it works in the top-flight in modern times. The days of Nottingham Forest winning the Second Division one season and the First Division the next will never be repeated.

The shape of Brighton’s squad next season will initially depend on whether we can keep hold of our two outstanding players from the current campaign – Pascal Gross and Lewis Dunk. There was a story last weekend where Player of the Season Gross was being linked with Red Bull Liepzig, where his former Hoffenheim manager Ralf Rangnick is now in charge, while rumours persist of Lewis Dunk going to Liverpool.

Regardless of departures, Brighton will need to strengthen. Centre midfielder is certainly a concern as we have got through virtually a whole season with just three choices for two positions and sometimes just two choices, as is the case now with Davy Propper still suspended. We have missed Steve Sidwell and his experience, having been ruled out all season through injury, but I still think a seasoned centre midfielder is a necessary addition regardless. Someone like Wales midfielder Joe Allen would be a perfect addition should Stoke be relegated.

Up front remains an area of concern. Glenn Murray has had a fantastic season and the arrival of record signing Jurgen Locadia in the January transfer window was a good addition. But our third choice, Leo Ulloa, is only on loan and has not set the world alight on his return to the club, albeit I would not be averse to him signing permanently. Tomer Hemed and Sam Baldock have been great servants but I don’t think they have the Premier League pedigree we are looking for to take us to the next level.

Jiri Skalak has barely figured this season so I can see him leaving in the summer while Jamie Murphy has gone on loan to Rangers with a view to a permanent move, so a fourth wide option should be on the shopping list. That said, it would be nice to see our Norway under-21 international Henrik Bjordal given a chance after some impressive performances for the under-23s.

My other two areas of concern will probably split opinion. Gaetan Bong has done far better than I expected of him this season and Markus Suttner has done a sound job when used, but I still feel a top quality left-back would help us. We had Wayne Bridge and Stephen Ward in the Championship and a player of that ilk would be a step up.

And then the big one: even if Dunk stays, I think we need another first-choice centre-back option to push Shane Duffy. Of course, we have Connor Goldson and Uwe Huenemeier, who are valuable options in the squad, but Duffy has gone through difficult periods in the season when Hughton has not apparently had the confidence to bring in his two squad options.

Everyone will have an opinion on what we need and who we need. Let’s just hope we can get the points to be in a position to be able to plan for a second season of Premier League football.