Ferguson loan move looming, Cashin finally signed & other Brighton news (January transfer window news roundup)
I don't want to talk about the Everton and Forest results.
The January transfer window will slam shut in less than 36 hours. Before then, let’s get caught up on all the completed transfers, ongoing rumors, and other Brighton news from the last two weeks.
Transfer News
Incoming Transfers
Eiran Cashin - Albion finally sign Derby County defender
Brighton have announced the signing of Eiran Cashin from Championship side Derby County. The 23-year-old has consistently been linked to Brighton every window since the summer of 2023.
The club has not disclosed the transfer fee. Most credible reports claim the Seagulls paid £9m for the left-footed defender.
Caitlin Hayes, Nadine Noordam - Brighton Women reinforce squad ahead of deadline day
Brighton Women have signed defender Caitlin Hayes from Celtic and midfielder Nadine Noordam from Ajax. Hayes is a regular player for the Irish national team, while Noordam has yet to make an appearance for the Dutch national side.
Stefanos Tzimas - Brighton deal for Greek striker “ongoing”
Andy Naylor has reported that Brighton’s pursuit of Nuremberg striker Stefanos Tzimas is “ongoing.” However, the situation is a complicated one as the Greek striker is on loan at Nuremberg from PAOK.
Nuremberg have an €18m buy option to purchase the striker, which would allow them to sell him for a profit. Florian Plattenberg claims the 2. Bundesliga club want “€25 million plus bonus payments in summer.”
Fiorentina are also interested in Tzimas. Some reports claim the 19 year old has already rejected a move to the Serie A club.
Yun Do-young - Seagulls set to sign South Korean prospect
Brighton are closing in on signing Daejeon Hana winger Yun Do-young for an undisclosed fee, says Andy Naylor. The club have triggered the 18-year-old South Korean’s release clause. He will join Brighton in the summer.
Do-young has scored one goal and made three assists in 19 K League 1 appearances for Daejeon Hana this season.
Tom Watson - Brighton “in talks” to sign Sunderland winger
According to yet another report from Andy Naylor, Brighton are working to sign 18-year-old Sunderland winger Tom Watson. Football Insider’s Pete O'Rourke revealed on Saturday morning that the Black Cats have rejected Brighton’s opening offer, but talks remain ongoing. Watson’s current contract runs through the 2025/26 season.
Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are also interested in Watson. Sunderland reportedly do not want to sell the winger unless they can sign a player to replace him.
El Hadji Malick Diouf - Albion working on £20m deal for Slavia Prague left back
The Sun’s Alan Nixon has reported that Brighton are in talks to sign Slavia Prague left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf “from under the noses of rivals Crystal Palace.” The report claims that Palace are unwilling to meet the Czech club’s £20m asking price. Liverpool have also been linked to the 20-year-old Senegalese international.
Chloe Kelly - England international rejects move to Brighton Women
Sky Sports have revealed that Man City forward Chloe Kelly rejected a move to Brighton before agreeing a loan move to Arsenal on deadline day. The Euro 2022 winner is unsettled at City and publicly pleaded to leave the club last week. It’s unlikely she moves to the South Coast in the summer, but this could be one to watch.
Habib Diarra - Albion bid €23m on Strasbourg midfielder
French outlet L’Equipe has reported that Brighton have submitted an “ initial oral offer of €23 million” to Strasbourg for 21-year-old midfielder Habib Diarra. However, the BlueCo-owned club are unlikely to accept the offer as they expect to receive higher bids for the 21 year old.
AC Milan and multiple unnamed Premier League clubs are reportedly interested in Diarra along with Brighton.
Nuno Tavares - Lazio left back linked to Brighton
CaughtOffside claim that Brighton are interested in Arsenal left back Nuno Tavares. The 25-year-old has impressed on loan this season with Lazio, where he has racked up 8 assists in 16 Serie A matches. Nottingham Forest are also interested in Tavares, should Lazio not sign him permanently.
Sverre Nypan - Brighton one of many clubs tracking Rosenberg midfielder
Following reports that Brighton are set to sign 18-year-old South Korean Do-young Yun, Mirror Sport’s Ryan Taylor revealed that the Seagulls are also monitoring Rosenberg’s Sverre Nypan. The 18-year-old is one of the most in-demand prospects in European football, with clubs like Man City and Arsenal also keeping track of the midfielder.
Ousmane Diomande - Albion linked to another wonderkid center back
After missing out on Vitor Reis to Man City, Brighton are interested in signing Sporting CP center back Ousmane Diomande. Danish reporter Farzam Abolhosseini claims the Albion are working behind the scenes to sign him, but that a deal will be difficult as some of the biggest clubs in Europe are also interested. Sporting have said they do not intend to sell Diomande for less than his €80m release clause.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru - Lazio reject Brighton inquiry for Nigerian international
La Lazio Siamo Noi claim that Brighton have submitted an inquiry about Lazio midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. However, the request for information was quickly shot down as Lazio feel that the Nigerian has great potential.
Outgoing Transfers
Julio Enciso - La Joya gets loan move to Ipswich Town
In case you missed it, Julio Enciso has been loaned to Ipswich Town. He had been previously linked to Porto, Valencia, and a half a dozen other clubs. Some reports from Paraguay even claimed that La Joya was ready to leave the club on a permanent transfer.
Enciso’s loan to Ipswich does not have a buy option. He made his debut for the Tractor Boys against Liverpool on January 25, where he was lucky to not be sent off for a reckless challenge on Wataru Endō. He started for Ipswich in their 1-2 loss to Southampton on Saturday.
Evan Ferguson - Brighton open to selling Irishman, loan to West Ham incoming
After weeks of speculation, it now looks like Evan Ferguson is on his way to West Ham. Sky Sports reported this morning that the Hammers will sign the Irishman on a straight loan for a loan fee. The Athletic’s David Ornstein & Fabrizio Romano have confirmed this report.
There is no buy option in the deal to West Ham. However, Andy Naylor revealed this week that Brighton are open to letting Ferguson leave the club on a permanent transfer. This story could re-emerge this summer.
Valentin Barco - Argentine to Strasbourg on loan deal with obligation to buy
Multiple outlets have reported that Valentin Barco is on his way to join Strasbourg on loan for the rest of the season. The loan deal is expected to include a mandatory buy option for a fee of €10m along with a 10% sell-on clause. Brighton had previously agreed to a similar deal with Porto before the Dragons sacked their manager.
The Albion signed Barco from Boca Juniors for around €6m last January amid controversial circumstances. He spent the first half of this season on loan with Sevilla. Barco made just seven first team appearances for Brighton.
Kaoru Mitoma - Brighton reject multiple massive bids from Al Nassr
On Friday, David Ornstein reported that Al Nassr had bid €65m for Kaoru Mitoma. The bid was rejected. The Saudi Pro League club’s then submitted a second offer of €75m (per Andy Naylor and James Benge).
Al Nassr’s pursuit is reportedly over after Brighton made it not want to sell. Mitoma also doesn’t want to leave the club this window.
Tariq Lamptey - Left back set to join Ajax; Leicester, other clubs linked
Per The Daily Mail, Tariq Lamptey is set to join Ajax for a fee of just £1.5m. His contract expires this June, so many other other clubs are also reportedly interested in signing the defender for a cut-rate price. Derren Howard, Chief sports correspondent for Sussex World, claims an unnamed source has informed him that this rumor is not true.
Leicester are one of the clubs most strongly linked. However, talkSPORT’s Alex Crook claims those reports are “wide of the mark.”
Adam Webster - West Ham considering a move for Albion center back
The Sun’s Jack Rosser has reported that Adam Webster is “one of the defenders West Ham are considering this month.” Webster’s current contract expires in 18 months. The club have an option to extend the deal for another year.
Carlos Baleba, Georginio Rutter - Chelsea inquire about Brighton duo
Chelsea reporter Simon Phillips claims that the Blues have attempted to open talks with Brighton about both Carlos Baleba & Georginio Rutter. Their inquiries were quickly rubbished by the Seagulls.
Cameron Peupion - U21 forward joins ADO Den Haag on permanent transfer
Brighton U21 star forward Cameron Peupion has agreed to a permanent tratransfer to Dutch second tier side ADO Den Haag. The 22-year-old joined Brighton in 2021, but never managed to break through into the senior squad. He made just five first team appearances for the club.
Kamari Doyle - Recalled from Exeter City, joins Crawley Town on loan
Kamari Doyle has been recalled from his loan at Exeter City and been sent back out on loan to Crawley Town. The 19-year-old forward made 24 appearances for Exeter before being recalled.
Benicio Baker-Boaitey - Millwall working on permanent deal for U21 winger
After being recalled from his loan at Port Vale, Brighton are close to selling Benicio Baker-Boaitey to Millwall. It’s unclear how much the club expect to get for the 21-year-old. However, The Mirror’s Dan Marsh says Lions are working hard to get the deal done before deadline day.
Other News & Media
Carl Rushworth recalled from Hull City loan
Goalkeeping prospect Carl Rushworth has been recalled from his loan at Hull City to fill in as Bart Verbruggen’s backup while Jason Steele recovers from a minor shoulder surgery. However, Rushworth is cap-tied so he will likely not play this week against Chelsea in the FA Cup.
Joel Veltman talks contract extension, possible new deal, and Ajax links
In an interview with Dutch outlet VoetbalPrimeur, Joel Veltman said that he is happy at Brighton and that there is “a real chance to sign a new contract” before his current deal expires this summer. The club also have an option to trigger a one-year extension to Veltman’s contract.
He also revealed that he was in contact with Ajax last summer and that he would be open to returning to his boyhood club.
“Last summer I called (Ajax technical director) Alex Kroes. There was some contact then. Now there has been no contact. I know how it works. The financial resources have to be there, just like there has to be a spot available. If Ajax really wants it: they can call me, they have my number.”
Brighton CEO Paul Barber on Everton’s executive shortlist
MailSport has reported that Everton's new owners, the Friedkin Group, “are preparing to raid their Premier League rivals” as they put together their sporting backroom staff. Brighton CEO Paul Barber is one of the names the Toffees are reportedly keeping track of.
Facundo Buonanotte reportedly falls out with Leicester City manager
Following Leicester City’s poor performance against Fulham in Matchweek 22, Ruud van Nistelrooy was reportedly involved in a ‘heated exchange’ with Facundo Buonanotte (MailSport). The ordeal confused many senior players and “caused tension behind the scenes.”
It was reported at the time that Brighton were already considering terminating Buonanotte’s loan due to his lack of play time under Van Nistelrooy. It’s unclear if that’s still the case.
Rado Vidosic joins Brighton Women coaching staff
Dario Vidosic’s father, Rado Vidosic, has joined Brighton Women as the club’s new Women's and Girls' Head of Coaching. The Croatian spent the last six years coaching Melbourne City’s men and women’s squads.
Brighton extend kit partnership with Nike
Nike will be the official kit and apparel provider for Brighton for at least another five years. The club announced an extended partnership with Nike that will run through 2030.