'A lot of potential' - Pascal Gross identifies Brighton stars he's excited to play alongside amid Premier League return

The Germany international re-joined the Seagulls from Borussia Dortmund for a reported £1 million on Friday (January 2), signing a contract until June 2027. He came off the bench in the 71st minute on Saturday, following a whirlwind couple of days to complete the move.

“Yeah, it felt really special,” Gross said post-match. “I was up early because I knew it’s a home game and I’m involved.

"It was really busy, 48 hours to get there, but I was really pleased that I could be part of the team.

"I think everybody had to work together to get it done. It wasn't easy to make it happen, but I gave the signal since quite a bit that I could imagine that.

"I think then it's all about negotiations and that it can happen. It wasn't easy, but in the end it happened.”

Gross scored 32 goals and provided 52 assists in 261 games across seven seasons prior to his return to Germany. The versatile 33-year-old scored Albion’s first ever Premier League goal back in 2017.

While much at the club remains familiar, he acknowledged there have been changes since his departure.

“A lot of things are the same, but then you have a new manager, new staff members, some new players,” he said.

“That little bit has changed and I’m really looking forward to get to know them, to train with them, to get to know them better and work with them on a daily basis.”

Gross accepted a more unfamiliar role on the substitutes’ bench, having arrived without training with the squad, but stressed how meaningful it was simply to be involved.

“I was happy today that I could be on the bench because it was tight to get there,” Gross explained.

“t was a really important game. To start the new year with a win, I think it was really important for us as a group.”

During his time in Germany, Gross kept a close eye on Brighton’s progress and believes the current squad has significant potential.

“I watched nearly every game,” he said. “I know the players quite well. There’s a lot of potential and if we can get the balance right between experience and some young players, if we can get the right mix, we can hurt a lot of teams.

"I think we have a lot of quality when we win the ball to hurt teams. Either on the counter, or 1v1s. We have Kaoru [Mitoma], Babis [Charalampos Kostoulas], Brajan [Gruda] today and then Georginio [Rutter].”

Gross added that Brighton must be aggressive at home and make life uncomfortable for visiting sides, pointing to the attacking quality within the squad.

On a personal level, the German insisted supporters will see the same player despite his 18 months away, underlining his fitness and experience at the highest level.

“I’m really fit. I still played a lot of games for Dortmund on a high level, Champions League and in the league,” he said.

“I'm just looking forward to train, to build relationships. I have a lot of good relationships with a lot of players, but to get relationships with the new ones, it will help me to bring them in a good position and try to assist goals and try to get wins.”

The move has also been welcomed by his family, with Gross revealing how much it meant to return to life on the south coast.

“My kids enjoyed it here, my family,” he said. “This morning I walked to the beach, had a coffee and really enjoyed it to be back in the city.”

Asked if he anticipated returning to Brighton after leaving the club, he added: “I did, to be fair, because I followed it a lot.

"I had a really special relationship here with a lot of people. Maybe sometimes you're away six months or a year and you have the feeling it's getting less and less, the relationships or the connection, but it never did.

“I felt really related still to a lot of people, so I knew there was maybe a chance. In the end, you never know in football if it's realistic or if it makes sense for both, but in that case it did and I'm glad.”

Gross was also moved by the reception he received from supporters on his return.

He said: “It was really special. I didn't know what to expect today.

“The reaction was incredible, it was amazing. I'm really thankful for that as well and I hope I can give them something back with good performances and wins. That's all that matters really in football.

“We need to win games, the whole place will be happier. We gain confidence, we can push maybe. Let's see, we have to earn it because the Premier League is ruthless and that's where I said we need to find a balance in the team to get wins.”

Sitting tenth in the table – but just three points behind the top five – Albion will hope Gross’s experience, leadership and familiarity with the club can help drive them forward, as they look to build momentum in the second half of the season.

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