brighton and hove albion Star Matt Wiffer believes he could be at Real Madrid now if his early development had continued at his previous pace.
Twenty Fans reports on Wiffer's comments today Made in the Netherlands in an interview with Amazon.
real madrid confidence
The Dutch midfielder, who now plays as a right-back, is on loan from Brighton after joining him for €30m in 2024.
He was a record transfer to his former club FC Twente, where he came through the youth ranks at the club. His growth was rapid there and has continued in Brighton ever since.
He was asked about that rapid development, but stood by his stance on whether he felt he could have ended up at Real Madrid.
"If things had continued at the same pace, I would have been at Real Madrid right now," He said.
"Of course, it is unrealistic to expect to reach the top level immediately, so I made a conscious decision not to join a top level club immediately."
brighton transfer plan
Like many, the Dutchman deliberately chose Brighton for the development path they offer players. Under the leadership of Fabian Herzeler they are benefiting from this.
"Coming here was a very conscious decision, and they knew me very well," He added.
"This is an amazing club. We sit just below the top tier and are pushing to establish ourselves among England's elite. Naturally, there are ups and downs, especially since we have such a young squad."
premier league adaptation
Mats Wiffer is now a regular in the Brighton team, although this has required him to adapt to a new role as a right-back.
It appears he has finally adapted to life in England and the Premier League. And he admits it took some time for that to happen.
"Things are going well for me personally now, but it definitely took some getting used to in the beginning," He concluded.
"The English understand that players need time to settle in during their first year. James Milner actually mentioned this to me. He commented that while it's impressive when players adapt quickly, it's a really difficult process, something I've certainly experienced first-hand."
