Getting ready for his first season in English soccer, Brighton defender Maxim de Cuyper is assured he can kind a powerful partnership with Kaoru Mitoma this season.
De Cuyper joined the Seagulls this summer season from Belgian outfit Membership Brugge, finishing a deal reportedly price £17.3m (€20m), signing a five-year contract.
The 24-year-old featured in 12 matches within the Champions League for Brugge and is about to be a direct alternative for Pervis Estupinan, who accomplished a change to AC Milan.
The Belgium worldwide scored in Brighton’s closing pre-season encounter towards Wolfsburg, whereas additionally combining nicely with Mitoma down the left-hand facet.
And De Cuyper feels he can present a harmful risk for Fabian Hurzeler’s facet, who start their Premier League marketing campaign at dwelling to Fulham this Saturday.
“In case you can play with a winger like this, I feel all people is aware of his qualities,” De Cuyper informed the membership web site.
“If I can reap the benefits of his qualities and if he’s pulling two defenders to him, it provides me more room to do one thing. I feel we have now good co-operation between one another and we are able to use it.
“It was only a good purpose, nothing particular. It may be that I shall be there typically, however on the proper time. Not each assault I shall be there, so I’ll need to take my moments and hopefully can rating extra targets.”
Sharpening up our taking pictures in entrance of purpose!
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) August 13, 2025
Fulham have additionally gone unbeaten in pre-season. Marco Silva’s facet have defeated Nottingham Forest, Al-Ittihad and Eintracht Frankfurt in preparation for the brand new season.
Raul Jimenez, who was Fulham’s high scorer within the Premier League in 2024-25 with 12 targets, returned late to pre-season coaching after serving to Mexico win the Gold Cup in July.
Jiminez scored the winner of their pleasant towards Frankfurt and believes the Cottagers can have a powerful begin to their Premier League marketing campaign.
“I’m actually glad to complete pre-season with a win and a purpose,” stated Jimenez.
“For me, it’s all the time vital to attain, to achieve some extra confidence and I’m actually glad for the crew.
“The great factor is that I had time to relaxation, however there additionally was not quite a lot of time, so it was not troublesome to again to full health with the crew. I’m doing nicely.
“I’ve [been] working for 2 or three weeks, doing my finest for the crew.
“I feel the crew is prepared. Now we have been getting good outcomes throughout pre-season. We all know it’s totally different once we begin the Premier League, however we’re going to give our greatest to set our requirements and do nicely within the league.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brighton – Kaoru Mitoma
Mitoma completed the 2024-25 marketing campaign in nice kind, scoring or aiding in 4 of his final 5 Premier League matches.
The Japan worldwide scored 10 league targets final season and registered 4 assists, his finest season with Brighton when it comes to purpose involvements.
Fulham – Alex Iwobi
Alex Iwobi had his finest scoring marketing campaign within the league final season, discovering the online 9 occasions whereas additionally offering six assists.
Iwobi has solely been concerned in additional Premier League targets towards West Ham United (eight) than he has towards Brighton (six), with the Seagulls the one facet he’s each scored (three) and assisted (three) 3+ targets towards.
MATCH PREDICTION – BRIGHTON WIN
Following Brighton’s 7-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in February, the Seagulls scored extra Premier League targets than another facet (31), whereas solely Manchester Metropolis (30) and Aston Villa (29) have picked up extra factors than Brighton in that point (27 – W8 D3 L3).
The Seagulls have additionally loved the opening day of the season in recent times, having received their opening league match in every of the final 4 seasons. It’s the Seagulls’ longest such run of their league historical past, and the longest present run of any Premier League facet.
Brighton additionally beat Fulham 2-1 in March, ending a nine-game winless run towards the Cottagers within the Premier League (D4 L5).
Fulham, in the meantime, have received simply considered one of their final seven away league video games towards Brighton (D3 L3), beating them 1-0 in February 2023.
The Cottagers often battle of their season opener too, having received their opening league match in simply one of many final eight campaigns (D3 L4), successful 1-0 at Everton in 2023-24.
Nonetheless, Fulham have received 50% of their 10 Premier League video games towards Brighton (W5 D4 L1) – of the edges they’ve confronted 10+ occasions within the competitors, solely towards Leicester Metropolis (58%) and Bolton Wanderers (55%) have they got a better win charge.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brighton – 49.1%
Draw – 24.5%
Fulham – 26.4%