Beram Kayal says he has learned a big lesson from his abortive loan move from Albion.

But, as he puts in tough private training sessions in the parks of Brighton and Hove, the former Seagulls star has declared himself fit and ready for the next challenge.

And he would love it to be in English football.

Kayal was let go at the end of the 2019-20 campaign after agreeing a short contract extension to cover the Project Restart fixtures.

He has hired private coaches to put him through him his paces in quiet corners of Hove Park and Preston Park.

It is not the same as training with a professional club but Kayal says the work leaves him well-placed to settle into a new squad when the chance comes.

He is keen to make it clear he is over the adductor problem which hindered his time on loan at Charlton.

And that it was the injury which kept him out of the Championship side rather than any doubts over what he can offer once on the pitch.

In retrospect, he believes he should have got himself 100% fit and then moved, even if it meant missing the summer transfer window.

He told The Argus: “I went there with this injury and I couldn’t play football. The reason I went to Charlton was to play football.

“I went back to Brighton and had surgery and since the end of January I’ve been fit and training with the team.

“It has been a hard season for me but I learned from that.

“I made a mistake to try and make a move when I wasn’t fit.

“I should have stayed until I was fit and then gone somewhere else.

“But it’s history. I learned from my time.

“The most important thing is I’m fit now and I’m hungry to find a new challenge.

“It’s not easy because a lot of people are asking why I didn’t play.

“There was a good reason, the injury, but now I need to find someone to give me a new opportunity.”

The Argus:

Kayal returned to Albion for surgery in November and his loan at Charlton was officially ended in January.

That left him facing an uphill battle to break into Graham Potter’s settled squad once he was back fit.

He said: “When I was back and training, I was thinking maybe it was going to be the end.

“Then we played some games in-house and with Fulham (ahead of Project Restart).

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“I had a chat with Graham and he said he saw something really positive in me and he wanted to keep me in the squad for games coming up.

“I thought, ‘You never know what is going to happen’.

“Maybe another small window was going to open.

“But the results were good, the players were fit and I didn’t get the chance. I felt I did everything possible.

“The club tried to change things, to bring in new players and I understand that.

“I’m always ready for a challenge and I felt it was a challenge for me to say, ‘I’m here, I’m in it’.

“But it was really hard because the 20-odd players had been with Graham all season.”

Kayal has fond memories of his five-and-a-half years with Albion and would love to keep his family based in the city if possible.

The Argus:

But, inevitably, those good memories are tinged by some sadness over injuries which ruled him out of matches.

Most infamous was the broken leg suffered against Atletico Madrid in the final friendly before Albion’s first Premier League season.

But there was also a problem which he played through during the 2015-16 run-in, a campaign which saw him voted player of the season as the club narrowly missed out on promotion.

He said: “My five years with the club was like growing up together.

“When I came to the club it was really struggling in the Championship.

“The season after, we changed our dynamic, our profile to be a top team in the Championship.

“Then the promotion season and then the dream for every team, to play in the Premier League. I think I have been a big part of it.

“On the other side, there have been tough moments with the injuries I’ve had.

“Before I kicked a ball in the Premier League, I was injured against Atletico Madrid.

“I had nine surgeries in my career but this one was at the wrong time.

“I was thinking, ‘I’m starting against Atletico Madrid so probably I’m going to start against Manchester City after a good pre-season’.

“There were a lot of good things.

“Everyone knows me - that I will do everything for the club and for the shirt.

“But there was also a lot of tears at home with the family after the surgery.

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“After we missed promotion I had hernia surgery because I played since February with an injury.

“I don’t know if people know about that. I was hardly training at all.

“I was just coming in on Friday to train and playing on Saturday.

“I wanted to be fit because I felt the club really wanted me here and I was going to be a key player for the club.

“But sometimes luck wasn’t there.”

Kayal took a two-week family break before getting down to hard work.

He said: “I have private coaches here with me. One fitness coach, one football coach. We do a lot of things to keep fit.

“I am waiting for something to come - a good challenge.

“There is a lot of interest but it’s not easy to go to some places now with the pandemic and with the family.

“As an experienced professional I know what I need to do to keep myself fit.

“Nothing can compete with training with a team but we try to find some things.

“Sometimes we do the one against one with my coach. We are touching the ball a lot.

“I’m open to everything. If it’s in England, it would be good.

“If it’s around Brighton, it would be amazing because I’m happy in the area.

“I still think I can play a role for some teams in the Premier League or a team in the Championship.

“I’m looking forward to finding something.”