“He is not only a great player, he is a great connector within the team, he is a great personality, a great leader, and he has the skill to make others better.”
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler spoke highly of compatriot Pascal Gross last month. The experienced midfielder returned to the south coast at the turn of the year, 18 months after he’d departed for Borussia Dortmund. With a lack of game time back in Germany and the World Cup looming, the 34-year-old was happy to return to the AMEX.
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And unsurprisingly, he’s slotted back in as though he never left. When Gross departed for Dortmund in 2024, it left a gaping hole in the Brighton midfield. None could carry out the creative duties to the same standard. They hardly faltered, finishing eighth. However, it felt as though they missed a chance to take the next step, and an important giant leap under Hurzeler.
Gross a driving force behind European push
While they say you should never return to a former lover, Brighton and Gross are a matchmade in heaven. Since joining from Ingolstadt in 2017 for just £3m, the 34-year-old went on to cement his spot as a club icon. And his return to the south coast is giving Brighton the impetus to secure a European finish.
Heading into the weekend’s action, Brighton sit sixth in the Premier League. They are eight points behind Liverpool and Aston Villa in fourth and fifth, respectively. The Seagulls play Newcastle before Liverpool’s trip to Manchester United and Villa’s welcome of Tottenham on Sunday.
And a key reason behind the pursuit of a Champions league spot is Gross. The creative star is pulling the strings in the middle of the park. His vision and distribution has been essential as Hurzeler’s side just about remain on the coattails of the Champions League places.
After all, Gross has created 33 chances in the Premier League this season. Only United maestro Bruno Fernandes (63) has made more in England’s top tier in 2026. Only Yankuba Minteh (39) has created more for the south coast side in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign.
Form has justified Germany return
Those 33 chances created have resulted in three assists. Only Fernandes (12) and Jarrod Bowen (9) have more to their name in the Premier League since the turn of the year.
And the return to the AMEX had the desired effect with the national team. Gross was called up by Julian Nagelsmann for the March internationals against Switzerland and Ghana. He played 10 minutes against the former, and an hour against the latter.
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In truth, the return to the south coast came at the perfect time for Brighton. The Seagulls were floundering. They endured a miserable December, seeing out the year with three draws and three defeats. Hurzeler was under pressure to turn the fortunes around.
Midfielder’s form has Seagulls flying high
Admittedly, it has taken some time for Brighton to get back up and running. The winter period was tough for the club as a whole. One win in 13 saw many question whether Hurzeler was the right man to progress the club. Yet with Gross back up and running, the Seagulls have taken flight.
The 3-0 win over Chelsea last time out was their sixth in their last eight. A scrappy 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal was the only blip on the record books. With Gross settled back into his familiar midfield role in familiar surroundings, it’s not a coincidence that Brighton are back in the running for European football.
“I love my life here,” Gross told the Brighton website following the aforementioned victory over the Blues. The move to Dortmund failed to have the desired effect for the player. He disappeared of the key radars ahead of what is likely to be his final shot at international glory. Seven league starts in the first half of the season was far from ideal.
Now, it’s as though he never left.