Brighton sign Chema Andrés from Stuttgart in £15.5m deadline day deal

Brighton have wrapped up a deadline day move for Chema Andrés, signing the Spanish midfielder from Stuttgart for £15.5m. The 21-year-old, who learned his trade in Real Madrid's academy, has put pen to paper on a five-year contract and adds depth and composure to a midfield that is losing key players this summer.

• Chema Andrés, 21, joins Brighton from Stuttgart in a deal worth £15.5m.
• The midfielder signs a five-year contract with the Premier League club.
• He came through Real Madrid's youth system and made his La Liga debut in January 2025.
• Last season he made 41 appearances for Stuttgart and helped the club qualify for the Champions League.
• Brighton have also agreed a deal to sign Nigerian winger Femi Azeez from Millwall.

Who is Chema Andrés, Brighton's new defensive midfielder

Chema Andrés arrives in the Premier League after just one season in Germany, one that was enough to establish him as one of the most promising young midfielders in Spanish football. His performances for Stuttgart earned him 41 appearances and made him a key figure in the club's push for Champions League qualification. Before moving to Germany in 2025, the midfielder developed through Real Madrid's academy and made his first-team debut in La Liga in January of that year.

What Chema Andrés brings to Brighton's midfield

The south-coast club is getting a defensive midfielder with quality on the ball, a player raised in the Real Madrid system and experienced at international level with Spain's Under-21 side. His profile suits Brighton's approach, which relies on building play from the back and midfielders who can receive the ball between the lines. The £70m departure of Carlos Baleba to Manchester United left a significant gap in that area, and Chema Andrés arrives to compete for a role the manager needs to fill with real options.

How Brighton sealed the Chema Andrés transfer on deadline day

Talks between Brighton and Stuttgart accelerated during the final hours of the window, when the clubs finally found common ground on a £15.5m fee. The deal was completed as the clock ticked down, allowing the Spanish midfielder to begin his new chapter in England without stretching the deadline-day saga any longer than necessary. Chema Andrés travelled to finalise his medical and sign a contract that ties him to Brighton for the next five seasons.

Femi Azeez next on Brighton's transfer list

Brighton's business on deadline day does not stop with Chema Andrés. The Seagulls have also reached an agreement with Millwall to sign Nigerian winger Femi Azeez, with the deal now awaiting its final stages. Azeez, 25, is coming off a standout campaign in which he scored 11 goals and provided 8 assists in 37 games, enough to earn a place in the PFA Championship team of the year.

How much Brighton are paying Millwall for Femi Azeez

Millwall will receive an initial £12.5m for Azeez, a figure that could climb beyond £15m if certain add-ons are triggered. That would represent a club-record sale for the London side, who had already rejected at least three previous offers from Brighton in recent weeks as the player pushed for a Premier League move. Azeez joined Millwall from Reading for around £1m in 2024.

A busy summer at Brighton: signings, departures and money in the bank

Azeez's arrival would take Brighton's summer signings to eleven, a list that already includes the club-record £45m move for Tottenham centre-back Luka Vuskovic. Brighton have also raised significant funds through player sales, most notably the £70m transfer of Carlos Baleba to Manchester United, while Liverpool remain linked with winger Yankuba Minteh. With Amario Cozier-Duberry signing a new contract, Azeez's arrival would allow the young winger to leave on loan and get regular first-team minutes elsewhere.