Brighton & Hove Albion full-back Ferdi Kadioglu has expressed his delight at making his long-awaited return to the Premier League, even as he admitted frustration with the team’s opening-day 1-1 draw against Fulham.
The Turkish international, a £25 million signing from Fenerbahce last summer, endured a nightmare first season in England after a severe toe injury required surgery, sidelining him for the entire 2024-25 campaign.
Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex, Kadioglu reflected on the personal challenges of his injury layoff. “I’m happy that I am back after a long time injured. It would have been nice if we had won,” he said. “I think it was around nine months from my last match. I’m happy to be back with the team.”
Kadioglu, who played 60 matches the season before his move, called the extended absence “something new for me.” He added, “I have learned from it and I will profit from it for the next few years of my career.”
Looking ahead, Kadioglu urged his teammates to move on quickly from the late equalizer they conceded. “We had a good pre-season and we just need to continue. We cannot stay in this game; we have a long season ahead.” His return provides a much-needed boost for Brighton as they look to build on a promising start to the new season.