Jacob Slater joined Brighton from Preston North End on July 29, 2023, for an undisclosed fee.
The Irishman turned 20 in October, but two years ago he was described as a 'phenomenal teen left back' by Mail Online journalist Samuel Draper.
Slater has featured on the bench in the Premier League multiple times, but he is yet to play any minutes.
The youngster is one of the Seagulls' brightest academy prospects, so what can he bring? And where will he fit in?
VAVEL explores all here.
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Club Career
Slater started his career in Preston's youth academy and made his U19 debut at the age of 17 in December 2021.
However, his first experience in the U19s came seven months prior when he was on the bench for an FA Youth Cup fixture.
Despite only playing one game for the U19s, he was given a few minutes for the first team in two Carabao Cup games in the 2022/23 season.
He played six minutes against Huddersfield and four minutes against Wolves.
He also made his EFL Championship debut in the same season.
He was given one minute in a 4-1 thrashing of Blackburn Rovers.
The youngster also played three games for the U19s at the end of the season in the FA Youth Cup.
In total he played 281 minutes across all competitions.
Once again, he was rewarded even though he played very few games.
But this time his prize was a permanent move to the Premier League.
In the summer of 2023, he transferred to Brighton and joined up with their U21 side.
In his first season with his new club, he played 1,630 minutes across 23 games and picked up three assists.
He played 18 games in the Premier League 2, and this is where he provided all his assists.
These came against Liverpool, Crystal Palace, and Stoke City.
The Irishman also made four appearances in the EFL Trophy, playing against EFL sides such as Forest Green, MK Dons, Reading, and Wycombe Wanderers.
Slater ended the season with 120 minutes in a PL2 Playoff loss to Chelsea.
His first season with the Seagulls was his best yet.
And this season he continued his impressive performances.
In the Premier League 2 he played 14 games and picked up an assist against Middlesbrough.
He also played in a 3-0 EFL Trophy win against League Two side AFC Wimbledon.
Unfortunately, for Brighton, his last U21 game this season ended in a 3-1 loss to rivals Crystal Palace in the PL2 Playoffs Round of 16.
However, Slater's individual performances have been rewarded with three bench appearances in the Premier League.
In total he has played 1,267 minutes of football this season and that is likely to be his final total unless he plays in any of the final four Premier League games.
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International Career
Before his move to the South Coast, Slater had not received an intentional cap at any level.
But since his move, he has been given his first two youth caps.
He made his Republic of Ireland U21 debut on November 17, 2024, at the age of 20 years, one month, and 12 days.
On his debut he provided an assist in a 3-2 win against Sweden.
Four days later he played 90 minutes in a 2-0 loss to Scotland.
He was called-up by ex-Newcastle United player Jim Crawford.
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What can he bring to Brighton?
Slater is a perfect Brighton player.
He is a versatile left-sided defender who has brilliant technical skills and a lot of determination.
His versatility is what really makes him fit the Brighton model.
The 20-year-old has not had much media exposure and there has not been too many opportunities to analyse how he plays due to his limited senior minutes.
But there are three player that comparisons can be drawn from.
The first of these comparisons is Barnsley's Josh Earl.
Both players are versatile and have transitioned from a winger to more defensive players.
They both also have a strong understanding of the game due to being utilised in multiple positions.
The next player Slater can be compared to is former Brighton youngster Jayson Molumby.
While Molumby is a midfielder, both him and Slater have high energy levels and confidence on the ball.
Molumby's midfield versatility also reflects Slater's left-sided versatility.
Slater's work rate and determination are also key qualities that are shared by the West Brom player.
The final player comparison that can be made is to hometown hero Jack Hinshelwood.
The number 41 is known for his tactical awareness and vision on the field.
Both of these attributes can be seen within Slater's style of player.
The next step in the youngster’s career is translating his game and attributes to senior football.
He has already been exposed to it at Preston and in Brighton training, so he is already a step ahead in his development.
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Where will he fit in?
As with every teenager in English academies, Slater he been used in a variety of positions.
However, he has not been used in as many positions as most other players.
He started his career as a left midfielder in Preston's youth setup and played there once in the Northern team's U19s and once in Brighton's U21s.
Fabian Hürzeler has not used wide midfielders yet during his time at Brighton.
So, that would make it seem very unlikely he will he played here.
However, the Irishman would be a perfect fit if the German manager switches to his 3-4-3 system he used at FC St. Pauli.
The 32-year-old also likes at least one of his wingers to be strong defensively and tack back.
And at the moment the only player in the squad that can do this role is Yankuba Minteh.
So, there could be the possibility for Slater to play in this role on the left and allow for a more attacking role on the right.
This would give Hürzeler a lot more flexibility than he currently has.
Slater is also able to play as a centre back.
While Brighton are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements, summer acquisitions are likely to block his path into this position.
The Seagulls also have a huge talent in Freddie Simmonds whose game time at centre half will be prioritised over Slater's.
The Irishman's best position is left back.
His strong defensive and attacking qualities make him a fantastic modern-day fullback.
The Albion are also somewhat short in the left back department, so there could be more first team chances for him heading into next season.
The next step in his pathway is likely to be loan back to the EFL, but it would be a surprise if he is not given an opportunity to impress in pre-season.
His breakout season could be on the horizon.
