AliousBrighton Finalised Transfer for Sarmiento – But Winger Pulls Plug at the Last Moment in Stunning U-Turn
Brighton & Hove Albion thought they had sealed a deal to offload Jeremy Sarmiento this summer—but the Ecuadorian winger threw a wrench into proceedings by rejecting the move at the eleventh hour.
Sarmiento, who spent last season on loan at Burnley and played a role in Scott Parker’s promotion-winning campaign, remains under contract at the Amex until 2027.
However, with competition fierce on the flanks—Kaoru Mitoma is firmly established as Brighton’s first-choice left winger and £10m summer signing Tommy Watson is expected to serve as his deputy—Sarmiento’s chances of first-team football under new boss Fabian Hürzeler appear slim.
In search of regular minutes, the 22-year-old has been the subject of interest from multiple Championship sides, as well as clubs across Europe and South America.
One of the most serious proposals came from Brazil, where Cruzeiro reportedly reached a full agreement with Brighton over a permanent transfer.
According to *Itatiaia*, personal terms with the player were also settled, and the deal looked on the verge of completion.
However, *Sport Witness* later revealed that Sarmiento had second thoughts and decided to walk away from the move.
The winger reportedly informed Cruzeiro that he does not wish to return to South America at this stage of his career, preferring to stay in Europe and continue developing his game on the continent.
Sarmiento originally joined Brighton from Benfica in 2021 and has made 21 appearances for the Seagulls, scoring once and assisting twice.
Despite his potential, he now finds himself at a crossroads, weighing his next destination carefully.
Meanwhile, Brighton’s summer clear-out continues. Young striker Evan Ferguson has been loaned to Roma, and left-back Pervis Estupiñán joined AC Milan in a £17 million deal.
Winger Simon Adingra sealed a £21 million move to newly-promoted Sunderland, while Valentin Barco’s loan to Strasbourg was made permanent for around £9 million.
The club has also loaned out several other players: goalkeepers James Beadle (Birmingham) and Carl Rushworth (Coventry), defender Eiran Cashin (Birmingham), and midfielder Malick Yalcouye is poised for another loan spell after impressing at Sturm Graz.
Dutch keeper Kjell Scherpen departed for Union SG in a £5 million permanent transfer.
With several exits confirmed, questions still linger around the futures of Igor Julio, Julio Enciso, and Facundo Buonanotte, who may yet join the growing list of departures from the Amex this summer.
Alious
