Mahmoud Dahoud was an intriguing signing for Brighton during this summer’s transfer window. Not least, because his credentials and age are arguably, not befitting of Brighton’s revered recruitment model.

Young, inexperienced, low-value, high-potential individuals are seemingly the current strategy, and have thus far, bore fruit for Tony Bloom, manager, Roberto De Zerbi, and head of recruitment, Sam Jewell.

With European football soon to be staged at the Amex Stadium, the Seagulls faithful will understand that strength-in-depth is paramount if they’re to fight effectively on two fronts next season, and with that comes the additions of players who can bring different attributes to Brighton, with experience in Europe a truly invaluable asset.

That said, the Brighton contingent will still be curious to see how Dahoud fairs next season, and will certainly be hoping his seasoned experience, and knowledge of European competitions will mean he’s amply equipped to deal with the demands thrown at them as a collective, but also whether he’ll be able to channel his experiences into a leadership capacity.

With a real mix of expectation, uncertainty, and scepticism around his move, who exactly is Brighton’s new man, Mahmoud Dahoud?

Who is Mahmoud Dahoud?

From birth, Mahmoud Dahoud had a claim to fame, albeit perhaps a little flimsy, as one of the first babies to be born in 1996, celebrating his birthday on New Year’s Day.

As hundreds of thousands have over the years, Dahoud’s parents with their newborn son in tow fled their native Syria and set up shop in North West Germany lodged between major cities, Cologne and Dortmund.

The Syrian-born Germany-bred midfielder showed a natural aptitude for football at a young age, and during his formative years, he was picked up by local Bundesliga 2 side, Fortuna Düsseldorf, before moving to the more glamorous confines of the historic, Borussia Mönchengladbach at the age of 14.

Beginning to excel while coming through Gladbach’s youth system, the player made the step-up to the club’s first-team squad at just 17 years of age. Between 2015 and 2017, Dahoud turned out for Die Fohlen on 83 occasions, registering 24 G/A involvements before the age of 21.

In 2016, he was recognised for his exceptional footballing prowess, and nominated for the prestigious Golden Boy Award. As with several up-and-coming prospects over the years, Borussia Dortmund had their finger on the pulse, and pounced, landing Dahoud’s signature for £12 million in 2017’s transfer window.

A move that was expected to launch the name Mahmoud Dahoud into stratospheric heights and help enhance his rapid development seemed to only stagnate his progression. The German international was reduced to more of a supporting role while at Signal Iduna Park playing on average just 23 games a season.

The dual-citizen has endured torrid luck with injuries, recurring issues have hampered both game time and prospective development, and as such he has never fully been allowed to flourish with extended periods in the team.

In total, Dahoud has been ruled out through injury for a staggering 555 days so far in his career, absent for over 80 games, equating to roughly two seasons in professional football. The player, new boss, Roberto De Zerbi , and Brighton's physiotherapy department will be hoping Dahoud's susceptibility to injury turns a corner during his time on the South Coast, meaning that not only can he enjoy an elongated run in the team, but also realise his untapped potential.

How much is Mahmoud Dahoud's deal worth?

"Shrewd business" is a phrase the football world has come to associate with clubs like Brighton, and the acquisition of Dahoud is certainly symptomatic of such dealings, who arrived at the South Coast on a free transfer following Borussia Dortmund's decision not to renew his deal.

The once highly-rated player was banking a very handsome sum of £65,000 p/w while in Germany, which worked out at £3.4 million per annum.

While as yet, Dahoud's exact earnings at Brighton are yet to be disclosed, having signed a four-year deal that will keep him at the club until 2027 perhaps points towards an equivalent, or even improvement on his old pay packet.

What can Brighton fans expect from Dahoud?

Standing at 5'8, the central midfielder is hardly the epitome of a physically imposing, dominant footballer. However, looks can frequently prove to be deceptive in this game, and Dahoud exemplifies that.

The defensively astute ball winner fuses together a tenacious defensive style with a progressive play-making capacity in what is more akin to a Steven Gerrard-type box-to-box midfielder meets the silkiness of Ilkay Gundogan.

Registering a solid 1.9 tackles per game during the 2021-22 campaign, the 27-year-old was one of the more prolific tacklers in the Bundesliga.

Naturally, Brighton will be hoping Dahoud can fill the void left by Alexis Mac Allister's departure, and as a player who is able to dictate a game through his varied passing, and studious vision, Brighton may well have uncovered another key orchestrator for their possession-based De Zerbi-ball system.

Equally comfortable as a part of a double pivot or in a midfield three, Dahoud's ability to adopt that quarterback role of taking the ball in deep-lying areas and immediately looking to create will be an attribute that won't go amiss at the Amex next term.

Former Dortmund boss, Marco Rose heaped praise on Dahoud, who he claimed “He’s a great footballer with high individual quality and the willingness to work for the team and run a lot. Mo is a lot of fun to work with, plus he’s a really good guy".

Did you know?

During his early days as a professional footballer, Dahoud's authentic flair, and raw talent were making all the right noises while at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

As such, the former Germany under-21 international was attracting the attention of several notable names in European football, including the likes of Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp, Manchester City's Pep Guardiola, as well as Manchester United all while he was still up-and-coming in Germany's respected top-flight.