Milner, Mitoma, Van Hecke: Brighton contract calls and what happens next | OneFootball

Brighton face pivotal contract calls. James Milner, Joel Veltman, Solly March and Adam Webster are up in June, with Kaoru Mitoma and Jan Paul van Hecke entering the final year of their deals next season.

Milner, 40, has started five of the last six and set the Premier League appearances mark with his 654th game in February’s 2-0 win at Brentford. “I think it’s a tough question to know when’s the right time, because I feel like I still can do it now, but do you go to the point where you can’t? Is that too long?”, he told The Athletic. He remains undecided about his future.

Veltman, a £900,000 signing in 2020, has started two of the last 10 league matches as Mats Wieffer’s switch has shifted the right-back picture. Hurzeler wants energetic full-backs, and Wieffer prefers midfield, so recruiting one should be a priority.

March played 45 minutes for the under-21s in a 5-0 win over Everton the day after beating Liverpool. After two serious knee injuries and a recent setback, his versatility could still warrant an extension.

Webster, a £20million signing in 2019, has had this season wiped out by ACL damage after injury-hit years. At 31, he wants to stay and a short-term deal is plausible.

Van Hecke turns 26 in June, shortly before the Netherlands face Japan at the World Cup, and has not shown a desire to renew. A strong tournament could hasten a big move, leaving Hurzeler with Lewis Dunk, Olivier Boscagli, Diego Coppola and Webster. Coppola is on loan at Paris FC and was not involved as Italy lost on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mitoma’s brilliant goal in Japan’s 1-0 win at Wembley underlined his quality after an injury-hit season. Talks are yet to happen and, with him turning 29 in May, a step up could beckon, though four wins in five have lifted Brighton to 10th and strengthened hopes of Europe.

Source: NY Times