Brighton & Hove Albion have signed midfielder, Brajan Gruda from Mainz 05 for £25m.
Gruda had produced four goals and three assists in 29 appearances for Mainz last season, as the Bundesliga club finished 13th and just two points above the relegation play-off spot.
His performances however caught the eye of new Brighton manager, Fabian Hürzeler – who guided St Pauli to promotion from 2. Bundesliga into the Bundesliga at end of last season.
Hürzeler subsequently pushed the Seagulls to sign Gruda and following weeks of discussion and negotiations, Brighton’s £25m bid was accepted by Mainz with the 20 year-old midfielder moving on a five-year contract until June 2028.
Happy to secure Gruda who ranks high on his list of young talent, Hürzeler commented: “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.”
Brighton’s Technical Director, David Weir added, “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.”
Mainz Sporting Director, Christian Heidel meanwhile stated that Gruda had requested his move, which led to “careful consideration” to Brighton’s offer during negotiations but felt that he deserved the chance to play English Football.
“We would like to thank Brajan from the bottom of our hearts for his commitment to Mainz 05 and wish him all the very best for his future,” concluded Heidel.
Gruda began his career with his local club, FV Speyer then joined Karlsruher SC for three years, before he moved to Mainz where he graduated through their academy to produce four goals and three assists in 32 senior appearances.
The 20 year-old also graduated through Germany’s youth ranks and was handed his maiden senior call-up in May for a preliminary training camp, only to withdraw in early June with a calf injury which ruled him out of UEFA Euro 2024.
Leave a Reply