Brighton’s latest summer signing Brajan Gruda has been touted to have the potential to be a world-class player.

The 20-year old last night joined the Seagulls from Bundesliga side Mainz for an initial fee of £25 million which could rise to over £30 million with add on’s. The young German forward has signed a deal at the Albion which runs until June 2028.

To find out more about the Seagulls latest signing, I spoke to Florian Schlecht, who covers Mainz for the Allgemeine Zeitung.

Schlecht like Mainz head coach Bo Henriksen believes Gruda can go on to become a world-class player.

He said: “At Mainz 05 they were convinced that they had a great talent in Brajan Gruda. His coach Bo Henriksen once said: “If he cracks the code of making the right decisions in the final third, he can become a world-class player.” I agree. 

“Gruda is a footballer who brings strengths that are rarely seen. But now he has to prove himself in a new environment. For the first time in his life he lives far away from his family and friends in Germany. And he signed a contract at Brighton, where he makes more money than at Mainz. 

“I hope that Gruda stays cool despite these changes, stays fit and remains hungry to become a top player in football.”

The signing of Gruda is one that has left some Albion fans wondering what position Gruda will be used in given the talent they have in the forward areas.

Schlecht believes Gruda can play in a number positions in the forward line and midfield.

He said: “At Mainz 05, Brajan Gruda regularly played in just behind a forward. He can also play well in the centre of midfield, in the ten position or just behind the striker. 

“He is a footballer who likes to dribble with the ball from the wing into the centre of the pitch. So he can be used anywhere in the forward areas. 

“The more Gruda is allowed to express his ideas with the ball, the better he is and the more he helps his teammates.”

The €30 million spent by the Seagulls to sign Gruda could be seen as a huge risk given he has only made 30 senior appearances in his career.

However, Schlecht is confident Gruda can deal with the pressure of the price tag.

He said: “Incidentally, he is not only an expensive purchase for Brighton, but also the most expensive sale in the club’s history of Mainz 05. 

“But I saw him in Mainz as very self-confident and also as talented in emerging stronger from every setback. An example: After an 8-1 defeat at Bayern Munich, Mainz coach Bo Henriksen left him on the bench for one game and asked him to work more on defense. There are many talented players who cannot handle such a reaction from the coach. But Brajan Gruda worked harder after that, ran after every ball, fought like a lion and became more and more important as a top performer.  

“Bo Henriksen said a few weeks later after a 3-0 win against Borussia Dortmund: “In the last few games he made the most intense runs onto the pitch.” Gruda enjoys football, but he is also a fighter.”

At the age of 20, Gruda has already been capped by Germany from U15’s to U21’s level. His performances for Mainz last season saw him offered the chance to train with the German national side before the Euros.

Schlecht thinks Gruda has a good chance of winning caps for the German national side if he can continue to impress.

He said: “The chances are good that Brajan Gruda will soon be considered for the German national team squad. He wasn’t nominated for the European Championships. But he was allowed to train with the team before the tournament and showed his talent. 

“National coach Julian Nagelsmann described him as a player who is extremely creative. If Gruda becomes a key player in Brighton, there is a great chance that he will be a candidate for the 2026 World Cup. 

“But there are still other great players who play his position. Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and Jamal Musiala from Bayern Munich who are also very young – and are already top international footballers.”

The signing of Gruda takes the Seagulls’ summer spending to over £100 million and with more signings expected, fans are excited for what lies ahead this season.