After just six months as an Albion player, Mahmoud Dahoud has left da Brighton hood to join Bundesliga side Stuttgart on loan until the end of the season.
The deal apparently includes a buy clause which the Bundesliga side can activate at the end of the campaign to sign Dahoud permanently for a fee of around £8 million.
Dahoud was a player Roberto De Zerbi reportedly pushed hard for the Albion to sign in the summer over the club’s normal algorithms and data-led approach to the transfer market.
He arrived on a free from Borussia Dortmund and was of course instantly described as one of the biggest bargains of the transfer window by Brighton fans, most of whom had never seen him play.
In fairness to those giddy with excitement, Dahoud did look a good fit for the Albion. Dortmund supporters and fans of his other former club Borussia Monchengladbach marvelled at Dahoud’s passing range and ability to get out of tight spots.
A return of 33 assists from 227 career appearances in the Bundesliga was not too shabby either, suggesting Dahoud could boost the Seagull’s creativity.
Where Dahoud struggled at Dortmund was a lack of engine and physicality to play the blood-and-thunder style of football Die Schwarzgelben are famous for.
He often failed to stand out and was too inconsistent for a side meant to be one of the closest challengers to Bayern Munich.
One German media outlet brilliantly wrote of Dahoud during his time at Dortmund: “He has even grown a terrible moustache to stand out, and that isn’t working either.”
Unfortunately, Albion fans were never treated to Dahoud sporting a terrible moustache during his brief time at the Amex.
Which is a real shame given he was picked as the poster boy for Brighton’s special edition white European away kit.
This meant Dahoud plastered front and centre of the Amex Stadium superstore window. An urgent paint job will be needed before Crystal Palace are in town this Saturday.
Being the face of the Albion’s Europa League campaign was as good as Dahoud’s time with Brighton got. He made 14 appearances which returned one assist; a lovely flick to set up Kaoru Mitoma for the Japanese Bullet Train’s first goal in the 3-1 win over Plucky Little Bournemouth.
That piece of brilliance was largely erased from the memory bank thanks to the moment Dahoud will best be remembered for – his ridiculous straight red card against Sheffield United.
Brighton led 1-0 and had been well in control against rock bottom Sheffield United at the Amex when Dahoud recklessly flew in on Ben Osborn with a horror tackle.
A sending off was the only outcome. The game turned on that moment, United equalised five minutes later and Brighton were hanging on for a point by the end.
Following his head loss against the Blades, Dahoud played just 45 more minutes for Brighton. He was hauled at half time of an equally disappointing 1-1 draw against another relegation threatened opponent, Burnley.
De Zerbi has not been shy in sharing his opinions of Dahoud since that incident. In January, the Albion head coach said: “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 joins a Stuttgart side sitting third in the Bundesliga, 12 points off leaders Bayer Leverkusen. Die Roten occupy such a lofty position thanks in part to another Brighton loan player, Deniz Undav having scored 13 times from 18 matches in all competitions.
Whilst his Brighton career may have been a disappointment, the Albion will at least turn a decent profit should Stuttgart end up paying £8 million to take Dahoud permanently come the end of the campaign.
