TOPS NEWS: Director admits Brighton bid for player ‘was not even close’… read more

PSV Eindhoven commercial director Frans Janssen has insisted Brighton and Hove Albion did not come close to offering enough to sign Olivier Boscagli this summer.

Janssen has been speaking on the De Rood Wit Podcast, relayed by Soccer News, about the club’s summer transfer window and their decision to block Brighton’s efforts to sign the defender.

Brighton were keen on the defender throughout the summer and tried to make a deal happen right up until the end of the window.

Boscagli made his stance clear throughout the process as well, with numerous reports in the Netherlands stating that he wanted the move to the Premier League and told the Dutch club as much.

A deal never happened, though, as PSV Eindhoven refused to sell their defender late in the window, particularly after Jordan Teze after departed for Monaco in a €10m deal.

They wanted to ensure they got a top price for their man, especially when they knew Brighton were spending big with over €231.2m of talent arriving to strengthen the Seagulls this year.

And Janssen admits they were looking at other deals happening around them when it came to Brighton’s efforts to sign Boscagli.

“A choice has now been made not to let players go, knowing that they may run out of contract,” he said.

“But first of all, we look at our main objective: becoming champions. Are they more likely with or without them? And if they leave, can we find a replacement of the same level? The answer to both questions is ‘no’. So, you make that choice.

“I will certainly not mention any amounts but compare it with other bids. Take Geertruida, he also only had a contract for one season. The amounts I read in the newspaper are a considerable amount.

“The offer for Boscagli was not even close. So why should we let go of someone who we believe is better, because he is the left center of the champion, for much less?”