'I am in touch' – Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler confirms 'discussions' as summer transfer decision looms

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler plans to have discussions with Facundo Buonanotte after his hit and miss loan at Leicester.

Buonanotte started the season superbly under Steve Cooper at Leicester with four goals and two assists in the Premier League.

The Argentina ace was one of the Foxes’ most creative players and appeared to be the best chance they had of staying in the top flight.

Cooper however was dismissed and replaced by Ruud van Nistelrooy and relegation-bound Leicester arrive at the Amex Stadium second from bottom and certain to drop back to the Championship.

Buonanotte, 20, has struggled to make an impact under Van Nistelrooy and is not eligible to play this Saturday due to the loan agreement.

Hurzeler admits his lack of playing time in the second half of the campaign has impacted the Argentine’s development.

"The idea when you loan players is always to get game time,” said Hurzeler to Sussex World. “And they can improve themselves and individual development. “Unfortunately Buonanotte is not playing that often anymore. He has some game minutes but not the game minutes he might need to develop the best way.

"It is about having discussions with him. I have really good loan managers with Gordon [Greer]. He always takes care of the loan players.

"I am in touch with him and then it is about talking to the players individually and then making the right decisions.”

The Seagulls are ninth in the Premier League and need a victory to get their European hopes back on track. Albion dropped two points at Leicester in the reverse fixture last December with a 2-2 draw, a situation Hurzeler is keen to redress.

"We analysed the game afterwards and we knew that our game management during this period of the season wasn't the best,” said the German.

“We dropped a lot of points after having the lead in the game. So we are getting more and more mature as the season goes on.

"That's my feeling – we manage the games better. We have been through a process where we had to improve regarding our game management.

"I think that the game is the past. It will be a new game tomorrow, it will be a new opportunity, a new challenge where I see my team at another level, where I see my team is more mature, where I see my team playing more professionally.”

For your next Albion read: Fabian Hurzeler's Brighton starting XI and substitutes to face Leicester City predicted