---
title: "Brighton & Hove Albion: George Cox completes permanent move to Fortuna Sittard"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/brighton-george-cox-permanent-transfer-fortuna-sittard/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Brighton & Hove Albion"
published: "2020-07-07T13:00:14Z"
modified: "2020-07-07T13:00:14Z"
---

# Brighton & Hove Albion: George Cox completes permanent move to Fortuna Sittard

**Former Brighton defender George Cox has completed a permanent transfer to Fortuna Sittard, where he had been on loan during the 2019/20 season.**

[Brighton & Hove Independent](https://www.brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/sport/football/brighton-and-hove-albion/great-opportunity-brighton-full-back-departs-eredivise-challenge-2904775) reported that the 22-year-old has ended his time with the Seagulls to make a permanent switch to the Eredivisie outfit, with the English club’s technical director Dan Ashworth wishing the youngster well upon his Amex Stadium exit.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

That Cox should decide to leave Brighton permanently comes as no great surprise – despite featuring [59 times](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/george-cox/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/359692/verein/39336) for the Seagulls’ under-23 side, he [never made a senior appearance](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/george-cox/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/359692) or even featured in a matchday squad. By contrast, he had been given [21 Eredivisie starts](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/george-cox/leistungsdaten/spieler/359692) by Fortuna Sittard in the most recent campaign, scoring his [first senior goal](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/george-cox/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/359692).

The 22-year-old was unable to displace ex-Brighton player [Gaetan Bong](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/gaetan-bong/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/36291), or current Amex Stadium defenders Bernardo and Dan Burn, in the left-back slot in recent seasons. Indeed, the latter has [played mainly as a centre-back](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dan-burn/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/134270) during his career and [began the season in that role](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dan-burn/leistungsdaten/spieler/134270) before Graham Potter moved him to the left, where he has [played the vast majority of this campaign](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dan-burn/leistungsdaten/spieler/134270).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”306835″\]

Cox has posted some impressive defensive statistics in Netherlands this season, with match averages of [1.9 successful tackles, 2.2 interceptions and two clearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/383604/Show/George-Cox). By way of comparison, Burn has averaged [two successful tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/82277/Show/Dan-Burn) in 2019/20. Meanwhile, Bernardo has won [2.2 tackles per game](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/302588/Show/Bernardo) but averaged a paltry [0.4 interceptions](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/302588/Show/Bernardo) and just [1.3 clearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/302588/Show/Bernardo).

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

Cox’s defensive averages suggest that he should have been given a fairer chance by Brighton, with his favourable interceptions per game figure over Burn standing out.

\[freshpress-poll id=”308200″\]

However, that he never even made the bench for a first team game, and that Potter has preferred a long-time centre-back as his first-choice left-back this season, indicated that the Fortuna Sittard defender would likely have struggled to make any headway in his career had he remained in Sussex. Therefore, it was a decision which makes perfect sense from his point of view.

***Brighton fans, are you disappointed that Cox was sold without ever making a breakthrough at the Amex? Have your say by commenting below!***