Solly March faces a different pre-season, future open after Brighton exit | OneFootball

Solly March turns 32 on Monday and faces a different pre-season, now a free agent after Brighton released him at the end of last season. As Fabian Hurzeler readies Brighton for 2026-27 and a second European campaign, March is training to prove his fitness. An Instagram post from Doha this week showed him “Working in the heat and ready for what’s next.”

Former agent Robert Codner said: “As long as Solly is fit, he will always get another club... A fit Solly March can still do it in the Premier League, 100 per cent.” He told The Athletic.

Brighton opted against triggering a 12-month option, ending his 15-year association. There was no farewell at the Amex after his 300th outing, a 3-0 home defeat by Manchester United in May. The disappointment eased when Brentford drew 1-1 at Liverpool, securing eighth and UEFA Conference League football.

Injuries shaped the finale. A meniscus tear at Anfield in February 2021, a 1-0 win in lockdown, wiped out the rest of that season. Revitalised in 2023 under Roberto De Zerbi, he earned a new deal as Brighton finished sixth, then in October he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament and damaged the meniscus at Manchester City, requiring two operations and a lay-off until December 2024.

After returning in December, his respite was brief. Ten matches later against West Ham in April, the knee swelled again, prompting more surgery and another 11 months out. His Brighton career closed with four cameos totalling 38 minutes.

Source: NY Times