HIS PREFERENCE IS to stay and fight for his place at Brighton & Hove Albion, but Aaron Connolly is open to the prospect of making a temporary move away from the Premier League club in order to gain more senior experience.
The 18-year-old striker has been making progress with the Seagulls, as evidenced by manager Chris Hughton’s recent decision to have him travel with the first team for their recent game at Cardiff City.
Two days later, Connolly hit a hat-trick for Brighton’s U23s in a 3-2 Checkatrade Trophy win at MK Dons, which took his goal tally for the season to 14 in as many games.
The form of the U19 international — who was introduced as a substitute for Brighton’s first team in their Carabao Cup loss against Southampton in August — has seemingly caught the attention of numerous clubs.
According to a report from Sky Sports, Connolly is a target for German side Hoffenheim. The article also claims that “Manchester City and several other clubs from the Bundesliga” are keeping tabs on the Galway native.
“Ideally I’d want to stay here and push for a place in the first team, but if that doesn’t happen, then a loan move would be good for me,” Connolly said in an interview which was published on his club’s official website earlier today.
🏆 @AaronConnolly_9 has been nominated for the @CheckatradeTrpy Player of the Round for Round 1⃣...
— Brighton & Hove Albion ⚽️ (@OfficialBHAFC) November 20, 2018
🇮🇪 Goals for the 18-year-old in the competition: ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️#BHAFC 🔵⚪️
Vote ➡️ https://t.co/kiUvHrZ2h3
Read ➡️ https://t.co/R6DkuhwMK9 pic.twitter.com/VW1TnomXn9
Currently sitting in sixth place in the Bundesliga table, Hoffenheim are third in Group F in the Champions League. Three draws from their four games so far have left them three points behind second-placed Lyon, six behind Man City, but one clear of Shakhtar Donetsk.
Connolly joined Brighton from Mervue United in 2016. He was Ireland’s leading goalscorer, netting eight times in six games, as the Boys in Green qualified for the U17 European Championships in 2017.
“We’re very aware of Aaron’s strengths. He’s somebody from the age he first played who has always scored goals,” Brighton boss Chris Hughton said of Connolly earlier this month.
“He’s very much on our radar but he is one of a good group of players who are excelling this season.”
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