West Ham told they "can't go wrong" with Brighton transfer | OneFootball

FLW's West Ham fan pundit is more than happy with the reports linking the Hammers to Tommy Watson

Tommy Watson looks to be available for loan once again this summer, as Brighton and Hove Albion once again look to the EFL to develop the 20-year-old wideman.

Watson signed for the Seagulls from Sunderland for £10 million in April 2025, a month before he netted the winner off the bench in the Championship play-off final for the Black Cats against Sheffield United.

The wideman has plenty of potential, but has yet to break into the fold at the Amex Stadium, making 10 appearances in all competitions before being loaned out to Millwall for the second half of the 2025/26 term.

After being part of yet another promotion-chasing squad at the Den but failing to truly make his mark within it, Watson looks set for yet another spell away, with the hope that spending a full year at one club can help the 20-year-old prepare for life back on the South Coast.

According to the Sunderland Echo, six sides are interested, ranging from Premier League new boys Hull City to League One outfit Leicester City. The Championship sides with their names in the hat are West Brom, Preston North End, Derby County and West Ham United.

The Hammers may need a new left-winger this summer, as they prepare for bids for Crysencio Summerville following his World Cup exploits with the Netherlands. Watson, while on loan, could be an apt replacement for the Dutchman.

West Ham fan pundit is keen on Tommy Watson addition this summer

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Outside his exploits with Sunderland and Millwall, FLW's West Ham fan pundit, Ryan Horn, admits that he doesn't know much about Watson, but he's keen to see a deal go through which would bring the 20-year-old to the London Stadium.

Brighton have a history of developing young, unproven stars and making them Premier League-ready, and especially with a European campaign on the horizon, Horn is surprised that Fabian Hürzeler isn't ready to give him a chance in their first team this coming season.

"I would welcome a younger signing; I think it's nice to be moving in that direction when it comes to targets," he said.

"I saw he did well at Sunderland and had a spell at Millwall last season. I'm surprised that Brighton don't want to keep their hands on him.

"They've had such a good record of identifying and developing young talents, so you can't go wrong with signing a young player from Brighton, really. I would welcome it, I definitely would."

This summer has seen a changing of the guard when it comes to player recruitment at West Ham, with this being the first window with Nils Koppen as the new Director of Player Recruitment.

It's safe to say that the fan pundit is happy with some of the players they are reportedly targeting, such as Patrick Berg, James McAtee, Sydie Peck and Harrison Burrows.

"I can't say I know loads about Watson, so I'll be interested to see what he does in claret and blue if we do sign him," Horn continued.

"I'll support any signing that our new scouting team makes, though. I really like the look of some of the talents that we are being rumoured to be linked with."

The 2026/27 campaign is an important one for Watson

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There'll be some level of impatience when it comes to integrating Watson into the Brighton fold.

The higher-ups at the Amex will be expecting to see some big development this coming season from the 20-year-old to prove that he can be involved in the fray at his parent club in the near future.

So, this loan move is vital for Watson in his progression. While it was good for him to be around yet another promotion contender in the second half of last season, the wideman made just two starts during his time at Millwall and was an unused substitute in both play-off semi-final legs against Hull.

In a way, Brighton could be wary about sending him to a side like West Ham, who will be expected to contend at the top, and it could lead to a similar situation as he had at the Den.

But, on the flip side, if he does get the game time he needs at the London Stadium, if that was, indeed, where the Seagulls send him, he could be an integral part of a side who could well win the Championship.