SportBild reported on July 24th that Brighton & Hove Albion are showing keen interest in 1. FSV Mainz 05’s rising star Brajan Gruda, labeled as a top target by Fabian Hürzeler.

Sources from Sky Deutschland, including journalist Florian Plettenberg, indicated that Brighton’s pursuit of the 20-year-old attacking midfielder is progressing well this summer. Plettenberg, utilizing the platform X, which was previously known as Twitter, mentioned that Gruda is on the verge of a swift move to Brighton.

While previous reports hinted at Bayer Leverkusen’s interest in Gruda, Hürzeler’s persuasive efforts seem to have swayed the player towards joining Brighton at The Amex.

Plettenberg disclosed that Brighton and Mainz 05 have struck a deal in the region of €30 million for Gruda, though specifics on bonuses remain undisclosed.

The anticipated switch of the German U21 international to Brighton is expected to be finalized shortly, with Plettenberg hinting that Gruda has already made a recent visit to England possibly for contractual proceedings.

Having risen through Mainz 05’s youth ranks, Gruda earned a spot in the senior squad in January 2023. His impressive performance last season, including four goals and three assists from 29 appearances, has caught the attention of clubs across Europe.