Could Brighton and Birmingham City target Eder move to England this summer?

Add as preferred source on Google

Brighton and Birmingham City are both interested in signing Lille striker Eder this summer. L’Equipe report that they have both made enquiries for the player. However, there is also interest from Olympiakos, CSKA Moscow and Girona in the striker. All five clubs would prefer a loan deal, but this is currently a sticking point as the Ligue 1 club want to sell the player. They want €6 million for the 29-year-old, who is contracted until 2020.

Chris Hughton is looking to bolster his attacking options as he attempts to build a squad that is strong enough to stay in the Premier League. Eder has experience in England, but his time at Swansea City won’t go down as a huge success. The fact that Birmingham City are also in the race will underwhelm supporters as it suggests that he lacks the quality required to score goals in the top flight. This is an interesting rumour, as it would be a huge coup for Harry Redknapp and the Championship side, but a disappointing transfer for the Seagulls.

What would Eder offer to both clubs?

Eder is known for scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2016 final for Portugal. He wasn’t used often during the tournament, but he managed to step up at the most important moment for his country. Clubs will be hoping that he would be an asset in big games based on that goal, but his domestic career has had few highs. He fared well in his homeland, which earned him a move to Swansea. The striker was disappointing in South Wales and failed to score in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old cuts an intimidating figure on the pitch and he has good physical attributes. Eder possesses pace and power, but his technical ability isn’t at level to compete at the highest level. He will be remembered for his tournament-winning goal at Euro 2012, but he is never likely to do anything to match that. Last season, the striker scored six times in Ligue 1. That does little to suggest that he can be an asset in the Premier League. For Birmingham City, he is a risk worth taking, due to the lower standard of the Championship. However, Brighton should avoid him.

How likely is a move to England?

The striker is available, but it remains to be seen whether Lille are prepared to let him leave on a loan deal. Although Brighton are in the market for attacking reinforcements, they should target a player that will improve them and Eder is unlikely to do that. He has already shown himself to be out of his depth in the Premier League and doesn’t deserve another chance. However, Birmingham makes sense. The striker would score goals in the Championship, but he might not be willing to drop to a lower standard, especially as the other teams interested all play in a top division.