Pascal Struijk joins Brighton from Leeds United on £15‑18m transfer

Dutch centre‑back Pascal Struijk, 26, has transferred from Leeds United to Brighton & Hove Albion. Reported fees range from £15 million guaranteed with £3 million in add‑ons to a total of £18 million. Struijk, a left‑footed defender who came through Ajax’s academy before joining Leeds in 2018, made 196 appearances for the West Yorkshire club, captaining the side on several occasions and helping it avoid relegation in the 2025‑26 season. Brighton, who finished eighth in the Premier League that season and qualified for the Conference League, moved to strengthen their back line after Jan Paul van Hecke’s £52 million departure to Tottenham. The signing fits Brighton’s recruitment model of acquiring technically adept defenders capable of playing in a high‑pressing, possession‑based system.