As we approach the end of another season, the time comes to look at the army of players Brighton sent out on loan in the 2023-24 campaign.

20 individuals left the Amex for temporary spells elsewhere, covering either the whole or part of the season. Ibrahim Osman takes that total to 21, having signed for £16 million in February but spending the the remainder of the campaign with FC Nordsjaelland.

Inevitably with the number of players involved, the variability of loan experiences and the different standards of football, it is a mixed picture.

Generally though, goalkeepers and strikers have tended to enjoy success with more disappointment amongst defenders and midfielders.

Here is how each player has performed and their chances of breaking into the first team squad for next season.

Brighton loan players – Goalkeepers

WAB recently looked at how the respective loan spells of Carl Rushworth, James Beadle and Kjell Scherpen suggested all three are capable of challenging for a place in the Albion’s first team squad next season.

Rushworth at Swansea City has been statistically the best goalkeeper in the Championship. Beadle did so well in League One at Oxford United that his loan was cancelled so he could move up a division and join Sheffield Wednesday. Scherpen was having a strong season with Sturm Graz in Austria before an ACL operation ended his season in December.

Underlining their potential, all three have signed contract extensions with Brighton in the last 12 months. And all could reasonably expect to be ahead of Jason Steele and Tom McGill in the pecking order if they remain at the Amex next season.

For any to spend 2024-25 sat on the bench as number two to Bart Verbruggen would be to stall their career progression, however. All three may therefore be set for further loans next season.

Defenders

Imari Samuels impressed on the summer tour to the USA. It was a bit of a surprise when he did not get any first team action earlier in the season when every full back was injured.

Instead, he joined Fleetwood Town in January but has struggled for game time in League One. It has been a similar story for Ed Turns, who re-joined Leyton Orient having helped the Os League Two title last season.

Turns was recalled from his second spell at Brisbane Road in January after only making 17 appearances. A return to League Two with Crewe Alexandra has seen him prosper again. Two health scares overshadowed and cut short the loan move of Odel Offiah at Hearts.

All three of Samuels, Turns and Offiah look someway off the first team squad, despite the promise shown earlier in their careers.

Midfielders

Now 25 and nearing the end of his contract, the assumption must be that Steven Alzate is coming to end of this time at Brighton. He has spent the season with Standard Liege in Belgium.

Reports last summer suggested Roberto De Zerbi was considering making Alzate part of the first team squad, but evidently decided against that.

With hindsight, the level of injuries and the lack of impact of Mahmoud Dahoud mean Alzate might have been a useful player to keep around.

Dahoud has been used mainly as a substitute since joining Stuttgart in January, playing just 146 minutes. Albeit arguably because of strong performances by the current incumbents near the top of the Bundesliga.

A future at Brighton looks unlikely for Dahoud, at least while De Zerbi remains manager. The improving Jack Hinchy was preferred on the bench to Dahod in December. Hinchy also headed out on loan the following month, joining League One side Shrewsbury Town.

De Zerbi has been typically forthright with his public opinions on Dahoud, saying: “I have already spoken to him a lot of times, I expect more and more from him. More quality, personality, energy, enthusiasm.”

“I was clear with him. It can be difficult at the beginning in another country. In the end, we are competing at the first level of football and you need time, but football, sometimes, can’t give that time.”

Dahoud was at least signed from Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer, so could yet net a useful profit if anyone wants to sign him permanently this summer.