'Teams will be bidding' - Graham Potter explains why '£50m' Yves Bissouma is so vital amid Arsenal and Liverpool link

Brighton head coach Graham Potter believes Yves Bissouma's willingness to adapt to his role in the team is the reason for his improvement this season.
Graham Potter has brought the best from Yves Bissouma this seasonGraham Potter has brought the best from Yves Bissouma this season
Graham Potter has brought the best from Yves Bissouma this season

Bissouma has impressed this campaign and was once again excellent in his midfield role for Brighton during the 0-0 stalemate with Everton at the Amex Stadium last night.

The Mali international was man of the match which drew praise from his head coach Graham Potter and also Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, who said, "I don't think teams will be looking at him, I think they will be bidding for him at the end of the season."

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Arsenal, Liverpool, Man United, Monaco and Real Madrid have all reportedly been linked with the £50m rated midfielder who joined Albion from Lille in 2018 for £15m.

Bissouma has been the main main in Brighton's midfield and has completed the most tackles in the Premier League this season with 51.

His passing accuracy last night against Everton was an impressive 87 percent and he had the most passes in the opposition half with 33.

Potter believes Bissouma has adapted his game but also praised the contribution of senior players Pascal Gross, Adam Lallana and Lewis Dunk for his progress.

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"He's tried very hard to understand what we are trying to do as a team," said Potter after the Everton draw, that moved Brighton seven points clear of the drop with seven matches to play.

"He's been playing in the role often so he understands what he has to do.

"Adam (Lallana) plays an important role alongside him as well as Pascal [Gross] and Lewis Dunk behind him.

"They help him. He's taken his game forward. We knew the quality he had. It's about getting that consistency."

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Brighton climbed above Burnley into 15th and are now seven clear of 18th-placed Fulham.

Inside the first 10 minutes Brighton had the majority of the attacking possession, with Jakub Moder having the first opportunity of the game, dragging a shot wide from 20 yards.

The hosts then came close as Leandro Trossard found Neal Maupay, only for his shot to be deflected just wide of the goal by Yerry Mina.

Bissouma tried his luck at the spectacular. With his back to goal at the side of the penalty area, the 24-year-old attempted an overhead kick, but it fell onto the roof of Robin Olsen’s net. It would have been a remarkable effort.

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Moder has slotted into Potter's team seamlessly and had another opportunity, this time from a corner by Pascal Gross picked out the Poland international at the edge of the area. He struck the ball well and it went narrowly over the bar.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Olsen tipped Lewis Dunk’s looping header over the bar, with the home side pushing for a winner.

Brighton continued to pile on the pressure – Trossard had a free-kick deflected behind off the wall, and the following corner almost fell for Danny Welbeck, with Everton struggling to clear.

Despite the home side’s dominance, Everton came close to claiming all three points with the final move of normal time, only for Alex Iwobi to fire marginally over the bar.

"That would have summed up our season had that gone in," said Potter. "My heart was in my mouth."

Brighton are next in action on Tuesday, April 20 at fifth placed Chelsea.