- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Brighton and Hove Albion are on the verge of a new signing with a deal now agreed for Mainz talent Brajan Gruda.
The Seagulls are just days away from a first Premier League campaign under new manager Fabian Hurzeler.
Roberto De Zerbi has moved on to Marseille and Brighton decided to raid St Pauli for Hurzeler after their promotion to the Bundesliga.
Brighton have been strengthening their squad this summer as Hurzeler prepares for his Premier League bow.
Yankuba Minteh joined Brighton from Newcastle United before former Feyenoord teammate Mats Wieffer signed for the Seagulls too.
Brighton have snapped up Malick Yalcouye as well having spotted the teenager’s potential in Sweden with IFK Goteborg.
Brighton and Hove Albion close in on Brajan Gruda
HITC now understands that Brighton have agreed a deal worth €30million (£25.6million) with Mainz for German Under-21 international Brajan Gruda.
New Brighton boss Hurzeler has pushed hard for Gruda and Brighton have agreed to bring in one of the most highly-rated young players in the Bundesliga.
HITC understands that Gruda is keen to make the move England.
Winger Gruda played 28 times in the Bundesliga last season, notching four goals and three assists in the process.
The 20-year-old has caught the eye in Germany and has even been praised as ‘something special’ by German international Thomas Muller having previously swapped shirts.
“When you watch him, you see that he has something special! It’s about consistency for him now. That’s why I got his jersey back then and made it public. I thought he was remarkably good!” said Muller, as quoted by BuliNews.
Gruda qualifies to play for Albania but has so far played seven times for the German Under-21’s and has already trained with the senior squad.
Feyenoord pounce for Premier League duo
To make some room for Gruda, Brighton have agreed a deal with Feyenoord to send summer signing Ibrahim Osman on loan.
Feyenoord have moved for Osman after last season using Yankuba Minteh to such great affect on loan from Newcastle – which ironically saw him earn a move to Brighton.
Osman agreed to join Brighton from Nordsjælland in February and started his Brighton career this summer.
The 19-year-old is now being sent to Rotterdam though as he looks to follow in Minteh’s footsteps on a very similar path; Africa to Denmark, a big Premier League move and then a loan to Feyenoord.
Feyenoord also signed Hugo Bueno from Wolverhampton Wanderers with the left back moving on loan for the season.
21-year-old Bueno started seven Premier League games last season and will now feature under new Feyenoord boss Brian Priske following Arne Slot’s move to Liverpool.
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