Brighton & Hove Albion’s new midfielder Diego Gomez will not make his debut in Saturday’s home game against Arsenal.
Head coach Fabian Hurzeler is giving the Paraguayan international more time following his £11million (€13.3m, $13.7m) switch from MLS side Inter Miami.
The move became official with the opening of the winter transfer window on January 1. Hurzeler, speaking at his press conference on Thursday morning, said: “He had now two or three weeks of holiday, because in MLS the season is finished. He needs for sure a little bit of time, but he is in great shape. He trained hard during his holiday from what I heard and I am really looking forward to seeing him as quickly as possible on the pitch.”
Asked about the availability of Gomez for the game against Arsenal at the Amex Stadium, Hurzeler said: “That’s too early.” The 21-year-old could make his first appearance in English football away to Championship side Norwich City in the third round of the FA Cup on January 11.
Hurzeler hopes to have Pervis Estupinan available for the bid to end a run of seven matches without a win against Arsenal. The Ecuador left-back sat out Monday’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa due to illness.
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Adam Webster could also be back in the squad. The central defender has missed 13 matches with a hamstring injury sustained in the early stages of the 3-2 comeback win at home to Tottenham Hotspur in October.
Utility player Adam Hinshelwood is “close” to returning, according to Hurzeler, after eight games on the side lines with a knee injury, but Evan Ferguson (ankle), Danny Welbeck (ankle), Mats Wieffer (leg), Ferdi Kadioglu (toe) and James Milner (hamstring) all remain out of contention.
Hurzeler confirmed to The Athletic that Ferguson’s ankle problem, which will keep him out for a third game in succession, is a different to the ankle injury which required surgery towards the end of last season.
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(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
