Brighton & Hove Albion defender, Lewis Dunk has signed a new three-year contract at the club until June 2026.
Dunk has played for Brighton since he was released by Wimbledon in 2003 ahead of the club’s liquidation – aside from a loan stint at Bristol City in 2013, and has gone on to score 27 goals in 416 appearances for the Seagulls since he graduated to the senior team in May 2010.
During his time at the club, Dunk has helped Brighton win promotion from League One and Championship and last season he captained the team to their best-ever top-flight finish, as the Seagulls finished sixth and qualified for Europe for the first time in their history.
Dunk subsequently decided to sign a new contract to tie himself down at Brighton until June 2026, which delighted manager – Roberto De Zerbi, as the Italian exclaimed: “Long live the captain!
“I’m really happy he has signed this new contract. It’s good news for Lewis and the club.”
Dunk meanwhile was reflective of his and Brighton’s progress together as he commented: “I was on holiday thinking a lot about what we’ve achieved and how it will go down in the history of this club.
“When I first joined and was coming up to the first team, did I think this club would be in Europe? Probably not. To achieve European football as captain, I’ve never been prouder. It’s exciting times, hopefully we can do ourselves justice in Europe, as well as in the league and cups.
“To actually sit back and realise what we had achieved was an incredible feeling. Walking out in a Europa League game for the first time might bring some emotions out of me, once we’ve seen the draw it’ll become a reality. It’s just an immense pride that we achieved it together.”
Dunk also iterated that there is still a surreal mood about playing in the Europa League and juggling domestic competitions, as he added: “Hearing that music is going to be an incredible feeling, it will be a real feeling that this club is in Europe and I don’t think any fan or anyone involved in the club thought it would ever happen.
“From the outside it seems complicated and when we were first learning the different patterns and style it certainly felt that way!
“But once you get to grips with it, it becomes second nature, you know where to be and at what time when you’re on the pitch.”
Brighton will welcome four new players to the first team squad this season – Bart Verbruggen, James Milner, Mahmoud Dahoud and Joao Pedro.
Dunk though does expect the quartet to need time to adapt to De Zerbi’s style of play, as he concluded: “For the new players it’s going to be a transition for them, something we’ve all been through, but now we’re here to help them. We’ve not unlocked all this manager’s potential yet, we’re not in top gear, we’ve got a lot of improvement to make.”
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