After failing to secure his services last summer, Brighton & Hove Albion have rekindled their interest in Raphael Dwamena, according to latest reports from Football Ghana. The FC Zurich striker has been long linked with a move to The Seagulls and a move to the Premier League could finally be on the cards this summer.
It was believed that the Ghanaian forward was on the verge of joining Brighton last summer when their £13.8m bid was accepted by the Swiss giants. However, the transfer broke down due to the player failing a medical. It was discovered that the forward was suffering from a heart problem, as reported by the Sun.
12 months later, the Premier League outfit is back in the hunt for his signature but only this time around, they could face stiff competition from Lokomotiv Moscow and Espanyol.
Dwamena, 22, has been playing in the Swiss top flight for over 18 months after initially moving from Austrian second division club Lustenau. After arriving at Zurich, the Ghanaian has played a key role in their mercurial rise in the past couple of seasons.
While he helped the club secure promotion to the Swiss top flight during his debut campaign, Dwamena’s nine goals last season fired Zurich into a fourth-placed finish. During his two years with the club, the 22-year-old acquired a stunning record of scoring 25 goals in just 55 competitive appearances.
Brighton, on the other hand, did fairly well to survive relegation last season but having said that, the Seagulls are in dire need of some offensive reinforcements this summer.
Veteran striker Glenn Murray has already entered the final phase of his career while big-money signing Jurgen Locadia is yet to sort his feet out in the English top flight, scoring only one goal in six appearances last term. Additionally, Israeli forward Tomer Hemed has also been very disappointing, of late.
And even though Chris Hughton’s side have already secured the services of talented forward Florin Andone this summer, the addition of Raphael Dwamena could certainly beef up their options in the attacking department.
The Ghanaian striker, as mentioned earlier, has shown immense promise in the Swiss top flight and he also possesses the right attributes to thrive in the Premier League, making him an ideal fit for a club like Brighton. What also makes him such an appealing target for the Seagulls is the fact that the 22-year-old will be available for a bargain fee as reports claim his market value is around £2.2 million.