---
title: "Rutter and Kostoulas Handed Brighton Striker Challenge by Hürzeler"
canonical: "https://readbrighton.com/2026/08/07/rutter-and-kostoulas-brighton-strikers/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Sophie Zamora"
section: "Brighton News"
published: "2026-08-07T00:44:18Z"
modified: "2026-10-10T21:44:01Z"
---

# Rutter and Kostoulas Handed Brighton Striker Challenge by Hürzeler

Danny Welbeck has swapped the Amex for Stamford Bridge, and with him went a big chunk of the goals that carried the Albion through last season. So who fills the void up top? Fabian Hürzeler’s answer is refreshingly blunt: Rutter and Kostoulas, it is your time now.

The Brighton head coach has made clear that his priority is developing the forwards already on his books rather than chasing a marquee replacement. Georginio Rutter and Charalampos Kostoulas cost the club almost £70 million between them, both are highly regarded at the training ground, and Hürzeler wants that investment to start paying off on the pitch. As we noted when [Welbeck’s exit left Brighton with more than goals to replace](https://readbrighton.com/2026/07/29/danny-welbeck-exit-leaves-brighton-with-more-than-goals-to-replace/), the leadership and the finishing both need filling — and the manager is looking within first.

## Hürzeler’s message to Rutter and Kostoulas

Speaking to Sky Sports, the German did not hide behind diplomacy. He framed Welbeck’s departure as an opening rather than a loss, and put the onus squarely on his young forwards to seize it.

> “We have two really good strikers with Georginio Rutter and with Kostoulas, who didn’t play that many minutes last season but who has big potential. We just spoke about young players stepping up now and let’s also create opportunity for these two.
>
> “It’s now your time, you have to deliver now. I think we have to be really clear and strong about that.”

Crucially, Hürzeler has not shut the door on the transfer market. He acknowledged “there are also dynamics in the transfer window that we have to follow”, and said that if the right striker became available, “then we might do something.” For now, though, the plan is internal — a message that chimes with those who have [urged Brighton to give Kostoulas regular starts](https://readbrighton.com/2026/07/24/brighton-urged-to-give-charalampos-kostoulas-regular-starts/).

## Hürzeler knows the fans are watching

The head coach is under no illusions about the scrutiny that comes with letting a proven Premier League scorer leave. Speaking earlier at the Austrian FA’s headquarters, as [Hürzeler told The Argus](https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/26440690.brighton-bosss-message-rutter-kostoulas-welbeck-exit/), he was candid about how the decision will be judged.

> “I understand the reaction from fans and we also had the reaction in this club. But new players will have an opportunity now. If in the first five, six, seven games we are successful and the young players step up and score goals, everyone will say, ‘Oh great, right decision.’
>
> “If we have not a great start, then people will say that the club made a mistake. But what we can control is working with these players every day.”

## The pre-season signs

There is at least some early evidence to lean on. Both forwards scored in the friendly against Wycombe, and each played around an hour of the 120-minute run-out with Strasbourg as Hürzeler shared the minutes out. It is a small sample, but for a manager asking his strikers to shoulder a season’s worth of expectation, momentum matters.

The Seagulls will keep building through the rest of pre-season before the real examination begins. Welbeck’s goals are gone, but Hürzeler has handed Rutter and Kostoulas the keys to the Brighton attack — and made it plain that the response is now up to them.