At a glance
- Mats Wieffer explained why he joined Brighton
- Dutch midfielder joked he could have reached Real Madrid
- Wieffer says Brighton was a deliberate development step
Mats Wieffer has opened up on his decision to join Brighton & Hove Albion, insisting the move was a conscious step in his development after suggesting his rapid rise in the Netherlands could have taken him to Real Madrid.
The Dutch midfielder, who joined Brighton from FC Twente for around €30 million in 2024, made the comments in an interview in the Netherlands, as reported by Twente Fans.
Wieffer came through the youth ranks at Twente and developed quickly into one of the Eredivisie’s standout midfielders before Brighton moved to sign him. After a challenging first season in England, he has become a regular under Fabian Hurzeler, often filling in at right-back as the German reshapes his squad.
Reflecting on how quickly his career progressed in the Netherlands, Wieffer said: “If things had continued at that pace, I’d be at Real Madrid right now.”
READ MORE: Maxim De Cuyper’s Patience Is Finally Paying Off At Brighton – Read Brighton
Why Mats Wieffer Chose Brighton
He immediately added context to that remark, explaining why he deliberately chose a different route.
“Of course, it’s unrealistic to expect to be at the very top tier immediately, so I made a conscious decision not to join a top-tier club straight away.”
That decision led him to Brighton, a club widely recognised for developing young talent before players move on to Europe’s elite. Wieffer said that project was exactly what attracted him.
“Coming here was a very deliberate choice, and they knew me very well.
“It’s a wonderful club. We sit just below the top tier and are pushing to establish ourselves among England’s elite. Naturally, that comes with its ups and downs, especially since we have such a young squad.”
Wieffer Opens Up On Adapting In England
The 25-year-old also spoke honestly about the challenge of adapting to English football. Although he is now a regular in Hurzeler’s team, he admitted the transition took longer than expected.
“Things are going well for me personally now, but the beginning certainly took some getting used to.
“The English understand that players need time to settle in during their first year. James Milner actually mentioned that to me. He remarked that it’s impressive when players adapt quickly, it really is a difficult process, something I certainly experienced firsthand.”
With Brighton still chasing European qualification, Wieffer’s form in recent weeks suggests that settling-in period may now be firmly behind him.
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