Brighton & Hove Albion have suffered an early injury setback after Jack Hinshelwood picked up a problem in training, with Fabian Hurzeler unable to put a timeframe on his return.
The 21-year-old was absent from Brighton’s convincing 4-0 Conference League victory over Tromso on Thursday, just days after starring in their Premier League opener against Aston Villa.
Hinshelwood scored twice from the No 10 position as Brighton demolished Villa 4-0, making his injury particularly frustrating for Hurzeler after such an impressive start to the campaign.
Hurzeler unsure when Hinshelwood will return
Hinshelwood sustained the problem during training before the Tromso fixture and was subsequently left out of the squad.
Matt O’Riley, Yasin Ayari and Pascal Gross formed Brighton's midfield as the Seagulls comfortably secured their place in the Conference League league phase.
Hurzeler confirmed afterwards that the club will assess Hinshelwood on a daily basis.
“He had a small issue in training yesterday,” the Brighton head coach said.
“We have to go with him day by day. I can’t give a clear schedule of when he will be back.”
The absence of a firm return date means Brighton will have to wait before determining how many matches the academy graduate could miss.
Hinshelwood had made flying start against Aston Villa
The timing is particularly unfortunate after Hinshelwood's outstanding performance on the opening weekend.
Starting as an attacking midfielder against Aston Villa, he scored two goals before being substituted after 64 minutesas Brighton recorded an emphatic 4-0 victory.
Hinshelwood has developed into an increasingly important member of Hurzeler's squad.
He made 27 Premier League appearances last season, contributing four goals and four assists despite missing around two months after suffering ligament damage to his right ankle in September.
Originally used predominantly in central midfield and occasionally at right-back, Hinshelwood was moved into a more attacking role in March.
That development was followed by a new Brighton contract running until 2029.
Brighton injury list continues to grow
Since making his senior debut in May 2023, Hinshelwood has accumulated 81 appearances across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing seven assists.
Brighton will now hope his latest setback proves minor, particularly given the other injury problems already facing Hurzeler.
Kaoru Mitoma, Evan Ferguson, Stefanos Tzimas and Yankuba Minteh are also currently sidelined.
Minteh's situation has attracted additional attention because Liverpool have already had two bids rejected for the winger, leaving Brighton with both injury and transfer uncertainty surrounding their attacking options.
Key Points
- Jack Hinshelwood suffered an injury during Brighton training and missed the 4-0 victory over Tromso.
- Fabian Hurzeler says Brighton are assessing the 21-year-old day by day and cannot yet provide a return date.
- Hinshelwood scored twice in Brighton's 4-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa.
- The versatile academy graduate registered four goals and four assists across 27 league appearances last season.
- Brighton are already without Kaoru Mitoma, Evan Ferguson, Stefanos Tzimas and Yankuba Minteh.
What’s Next?
Brighton's medical staff will continue assessing Hinshelwood before determining whether he can return quickly or faces a longer absence.
Hurzeler will be particularly eager for positive news after the youngster's excellent start in the No 10 role, while Brighton's growing injury list could influence his selection decisions over the coming weeks.
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