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Brighton have been the Premier League's busiest recruiters this summer: six confirmed signings, headlined by a club-record £46m (rising to £50m) for Tottenham's Luka Vuskovic - the direct response to losing Jan Paul van Hecke (£52m to Spurs). Fabian Hürzeler's side, who finished 8th and qualified for the Conference League, open at home to Aston Villa.
Confirmed Brighton signings - summer 2026
| Player | Position | From | Fee | FPL relevance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Vuskovic | CB | Tottenham | £46m | Medium-high |
| Zadok Yohanna | W | AIK | £24.2m | Watchlist |
| Pascal Struijk | CB | Leeds | £20m | Medium |
| Costinha | RB | Olympiacos | £11m | Low-medium |
| Michael Svoboda | CB | Venezia | £4.3m | Low |
| Rodrigo Rêgo | W | Benfica | £3m | Low |
Key departures: Jan Paul van Hecke (£52m, Tottenham), James Milner (retired), Solly March, Adam Webster, Joel Veltman (all released).
The headline signings, analysed
Luka Vuskovic - the record-breaker with goals in his boots
Brighton fended off Bayern Munich to land the 19-year-old Croatian, and his profile is genuinely rare for a centre-back:
- 6 goals in 30 appearances on loan at Hamburg last season - Bundesliga Rookie of the Season
- Named in the Bundesliga Team of the Year; won the league's Goal of the Year in 2025
- 16 goals in 78 senior club appearances - plus one in six Croatia caps
- Started for Croatia against England at the World Cup
For FPL, a goal-scoring centre-back in a Hürzeler side that plays through the lines is a compelling mid-priced defensive option - particularly on set pieces, where his delivery-striking ability is elite. Hürzeler has urged patience, so confirm his GW1 starting spot in pre-season.
Pascal Struijk - £20m of Premier League-ready cover
The Dutch defender arrives from Leeds with top-flight experience and left-sided versatility (CB/LB). With Brighton's veteran defensive core released, Struijk should see real minutes - a budget defender to monitor.
Zadok Yohanna - Brighton's classic upside bet
At £24.2m from AIK Stockholm, the winger follows the Mitoma/Estupiñán talent-ID tradition. Raw but rapid - a stash for later in the season, not GW1.
Costinha, Svoboda, Rêgo - squad architecture
Portuguese right-back Costinha (£11m) provides competition, while Svoboda and Rêgo are development pieces.
What it means for FPL managers
- Villa (H) in GW1 is middling - Brighton's defensive rebuild needs weeks, so don't stack their defence immediately.
- Vuskovic is the headline FPL watch. Set-piece-taking, goal-scoring centre-backs are gold dust when they start.
- Brighton attack remains the safer route - their established forwards benefit from a stronger base behind them.
- Conference League rotation is the hidden tax on Brighton assets this season - depth signings like Costinha will eat into starters' minutes.
FPL verdicts
| Player | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Luka Vuskovic | WATCH - buy when starting |
| Pascal Struijk | WATCH - budget enabler potential |
| Zadok Yohanna | WATCH - second-half stash |
| Costinha, Svoboda, Rêgo | AVOID (for now) |
Bottom line: Brighton's window is a defensive rebuild with one crown jewel. Vuskovic could be the season's breakout FPL defender - give him two weeks to prove the starting spot first.
Last updated: 17 July 2026.
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