Brighton and Hove Albion have signed 20-year-old sensation Brajan Gruda from Bundesliga club FSV Mainz for a fee reported to be about £25 million.
Albion said: “The club are pleased to announce the signing of attacking midfielder Brajan Gruda from German club FSV Mainz, subject to work permit application and international clearance.”
Gruda has agreed a contract until June 2028, having been linked in some reports with a move to Liverpool and having been named as a target for Bayern Munich.
Brighton’s head coach Fabian Hürzeler said: “I’m really pleased to get the opportunity to work with Brajan.
“I saw the big impact he made last season in the Bundesliga and he’s a player I admire a lot.
“The Premier League will be a different challenge but I’m looking forward to working with Brajan and helping to develop his big potential.”
Albion technical director David Weir said: “We’re delighted to bring Brajan to the club.
“He’s a player we have been tracking for a while and he’s already played at a really good level in the Bundesliga.
“He is a player Fabian knows well and is really looking forward to working with.”
Albion said: “The 20-year-old broke through at Mainz last season when he played 28 games in the Bundesliga and contributed four goals and three assists to help them avoid relegation.
“Brajan, whose father played in the UEFA Cup for Albanian team Vllaznia, played his youth football for his home town club FC Speyer before joining FC Karlsruher in 2015 where he spent three seasons in their academy prior to his move to Mainz in 2018.
“He made his Bundesliga debut in 2023 aged 18 against Borussia Dortmund and has played for Germany at all age groups from the age of 15 and has made seven under-21 appearances.
“Earlier this year he was included in Germany’s training squad ahead of the 2024 Euros.”
