Chema Andrés has needed little time to make Brighton feel like the right next step. A hurried deadline-day flight, a medical and a signature were followed by a week in which the Spanish midfielder supplied an assist, helped knock Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford and scored against Arsenal. For a player who arrived from Stuttgart for £22 million, it has been a brisk introduction to English football.
The 20-year-old had been training with Stuttgart when the move was completed on the final day of the window. “It was not difficult, but it was a little stressful,” he said. “One day I was with my old team, then suddenly I had to get on a plane, come here, sign and complete the medical.”
Brighton’s outlay brought a substantial return to Real Madrid, who received half the fee after Stuttgart had bought 50 per cent of Chema’s rights for just £3 million a year earlier. Madrid had allowed him to leave after he made his senior debut under Carlo Ancelotti in the 2024-25 campaign, and had already watched Rodrigo Hernández opt for Barcelona rather than a move to the Bernabéu.
A midfielder at home in the middle
Stuttgart had hoped to keep Chema, but the player wanted a new challenge. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth said the club set a financial threshold and Brighton met it, while also recognising the part the midfielder played in Stuttgart reaching the Champions League and the Pokal final. Manager Sebastian Hoeness admitted his side would miss him.
Brighton, meanwhile, have found a player who looks immediately suited to Fabian Hürzeler’s football. Chema made his first appearance against Coventry, laying the ball back for Lewis Dunk to strike into the top corner. He then started the comeback victory over Manchester United in the League Cup before putting the seal on a fine first week with Brighton’s third goal in a 3-0 win over Arsenal, arriving from Pascal Gross’s corner.
“It has been a really good week,” Chema said, with understandable understatement.
His game is built around discipline and balance, but he is not merely there to close doors. Hürzeler has praised his positioning, his habit of checking options before receiving possession and his willingness to move play forwards. “He understands the game very well,” the Brighton manager said. “His academy background is clear. He is technically very good, and that gives us something extra.”
The numbers from Germany support that assessment. Last season, Chema averaged 1.5 interceptions per Bundesliga match, the eighth-best return among central midfielders, and ranked tenth for through balls with 2.16 per game. Against Arsenal, he recovered possession seven times and won each of his five aerial contests.
Hürzeler believes the adjustment has been eased by Chema’s previous surroundings. Stuttgart played in a broadly comparable style, and Hoeness’s work has helped prepare the player for Brighton’s demands. “It is impressive how quickly he has settled,” Hürzeler said.
Brighton’s familiar route upwards
Comparisons with Rodri have already appeared, as they tend to when a composed Spanish holding midfielder begins to dictate games. Chema is resisting the temptation to run before he can pass. “It is an honour, but I am nowhere near his level at the moment,” he said. “I hope to get there one day, but I know who I am and I want to make my own path.”
Hürzeler sees both ambition and room for growth. He said Brighton would support Chema’s development, adding that his desire to improve each day could take him a long way if matched by continued progress.
Brighton have made a habit of offering that kind of platform. Since their promotion in 2017, the club have raised more than £800 million through player sales, with Moises Caicedo joining Chelsea for £116 million, Carlos Baleba moving to Manchester United for £76 million, Marc Cucurella going to Chelsea for £65 million and Joao Pedro following him for £64 million. Jan Paul van Hecke’s £60 million Tottenham transfer, Ben White’s £58 million move to Arsenal and Alexis Mac Allister’s £42 million switch to Liverpool form part of the same long list.
For Chema, that record was part of the attraction. Playing in the Premier League had been a long-held aim, and Brighton’s treatment of young players made the club an appealing place to take the next step. He continues to feature for Spain Under-21s and is expected to be important alongside Marc Bernal in midfield at this summer’s European Championship.
Madrid’s loss has become Brighton’s opportunity. The early signs suggest Chema Andrés has arrived in the Premier League with the calm of a player who has been waiting for this fixture list all along.
