Bart Verbruggen

Key strength: Shot-stopping

Shot-stopper

Perched in 14th place in the Premier League table, Brighton & Hove Albion have turned to 23-year-old Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen as the guardian between the posts for the long-term future. With 16 appearances and 1,440 minutes logged this season, the young shot-stopper has firmly established himself as the Seagulls' first-choice custodian under a contract that runs through 2028. Valued at €35 million, Verbruggen represents Brighton's modern goalkeeper philosophy—a keeper who doesn't just repel danger but initiates attacks with his 53-rated passing ability. Behind a defensive unit anchored by Jan Paul van Hecke and veteran Lewis Dunk, the Dutchman combines sharp reflexes with mature positioning that belies his age. While three yellow cards hint at his competitive edge, zero red cards showcase his disciplinary control. As Brighton navigate a challenging mid-table campaign, Verbruggen's consistency provides the foundation for their ambitions—melding traditional shot-stopping excellence with the progressive technical demands of modern possession-based football. With each commanding performance, he's justifying why Brighton invested heavily in securing his services for the long haul.