Journalist Tom Barclay has heaped praise on Brighton defender Joel Veltman following the side's flying start to the season.
What is Veltman's record at Brighton?
Veltman moved to the South Coast in July 2020 for just £900,000 from Dutch giants Ajax. He established himself as a regular in the first-team in his maiden Premier League campaign, making 28 league appearances for Graham Potter's men.
After missing the opening two games of this season through illness, he has since returned to the side and picked back up where he left off. The 29-year-old has featured in a variety of positions in recent weeks, and helped his side pick up impressive wins against Brentford and Leicester.
What did Barclay say about Veltman?
Considering that Brighton managed to sign Veltman for less than £1m, Barclay feels that the 28-cap international has been an excellent addition to the squad. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he pointed out how the 6 ft 1 defender has a well-rounded skillset which allows him to cover a variety of roles.
Barclay said: “Joel Veltman, who was signed for around £900,000, Dutch international’s a wonderful signing because he can play both in the back three but also as that wing-back. And obviously he doesn’t have the pace that Lamptey has, but he’s got great positional sense, he’s a very good defender and he’s got a good cross on him too.”
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How important is Veltman to Brighton?
Veltman could be considered somewhat of an unsung hero at the Amex Stadium. Brighton arguably have some higher-profile players in their squad such as Belgium international Leandro Trossard, midfielder Yves Bissouma and the experienced English duo Danny Welbeck and Adam Lallana. However, Veltman's importance should not be overlooked.
As Barclay alluded to, Veltman can play anywhere along the back line, and is even comfortable moving into a wing-back role when Brighton play three at the back. Given that Brighton have one of the smaller budgets in the league, they do not have the deepest squad, so it is a huge boost for the team when they have someone in their ranks who can play in multiple positions to a high standard.
That is exactly what Veltman offers, and right now he seems to be at the peak of his powers. If he can stay fit and continue to switch between roles with ease, Brighton have every chance of achieving their highest-ever Premier League finish this year.