Brighton and Hove Albion may be miffed with Hull City transfer: View | OneFootball

Carl Rushworth joined Hull City in the summer transfer window but is yet to feature for the Tigers

After a summer of transfer interest, it looked like a serious coup for Hull City when they pulled off the deadline day signing of Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth on a season-long loan, but it's been anything but a positive move for the 23-year-old so far.

Rushworth, who was Swansea City's Players' Player of the Year and Supporters' Player of the Year last season, is yet to feature for Tim Walter's side, a surprise given his ability, and Brighton may well be less than impressed by his lack of minutes in East Yorkshire.

The 23-year-old was reportedly in the frame to be included in England's senior squad for the Euros, such was the level of his performances last season, and playing second fiddle to Ivor Pandur certainly isn't how he'd have expected the 2024/25 campaign to go.

The move to the MKM Stadium is yet to pay off for Rushworth, and unless things change soon, he could be set for a frustrating season.

Brighton and Hove Albion will be frustrated by Carl Rushworth's Hull City move

After such an impressive season with Swansea last year, Rushworth wasn't short of transfer interest, and he had the likes of Blackburn Rovers interested, with the Swans also reportedly keen to bring him back to south Wales, as per Alan Nixon, but it was Hull who sealed his signature on deadline day.

After being an unused substitute for Brighton in their two opening Premier League fixtures, the Seagulls no doubt would have expected Rushworth to be playing regularly wherever he was sent on loan, but that's been far from the case with Tim Walter's Hull side.

Rushworth actually missed out on the matchday squad for his first two games as a Hull player, before being used as an unused substitute in the three following games.

It seems absurd that a goalkeeper of his quality isn't playing regularly in the Championship, and Brighton will almost certainly be questioning their decision to have loaned him to Hull given his early struggles at the club.

Fabian Hürzeler and the Seagulls' hierarchy would have expected another big season from the 23-year-old before returning to the South Coast next season to push for a regular spot in their Premier League starting XI, but on early evidence, his time at Hull might be doing him more harm than good.

Perhaps if he'd been loaned out elsewhere in the Championship he'd be starting on a regular basis, and it would be a surprise if Brighton weren't regretting their decision.

Given Bart Verbruggen's early-season injury, Brighton couldn't send Rushworth on loan until the Dutchman had returned, meaning he didn't leave the club until the end of the window, and this has put him on the back foot.

Rushworth had joined Swansea before the Championship season started, meaning he had time to consolidate his position as number one, but he's not had that at Hull.

So far, the decision to send Rushworth to Hull has not proved a good one, and Brighton may have serious regrets.

One of the main reasons for Rushworth's lack of playing time this season has been Ivor Pandur's performances, with the Croatian really cementing his position as the club's number one.

Given his start to the season, it would be impossible for Walter to drop him in favour of Rushworth, and it's left Hull in a difficult position, because had Pandur not been playing as well as he has, they could have dropped him for the Brighton loanee.

Perhaps, in hindsight, Hull didn't need Rushworth, and they may now see it as an unnecessary signing given the way Pandur has started the season.

Pandur was signed by Acun Ilicali in January, and then boss Liam Rosenior reportedly didn't think that the Croatian was Championship-standard, which could be one of the reasons why Rushworth was brought in.

However, on early showings, Pandur certainly is good enough, and his performance in the recent win against QPR showed that he looks set to be the club's number one for the foreseeable future.