Exclusive: Brighton to Step Up Right-Back Search as Joel Veltman Nears Summer Exit

Brighton & Hove Albion will up their pursuit of a right-back in January with Joel Veltman expected to leave the club at the end of the season, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

The experienced right-back is one of seven players who are out of contract at the Amex come the end of the season.

It could spark the end of an era at the club with stalwarts Danny Welbeck, Solly March and Lewis Dunk among those whose deals expire in June alongside Veltman. 

Experienced defender Veltman has missed a chuck of the season through injury and has found himself on the bench behind Mats Wieffer, a central midfield signing last year, as he gets back to full fitness.

The former Dutch international turns 34 in January and signed a one-year extension at the club last season, which will see his stay on the south coast reach six years.

But with Veltman’s contract situation and boss Fabian Hurzeler’s reliance on Wieffer’s versatility in his absence, our sources have been told Brighton are keen on reinforcing the area before it becomes a necessity in the summer.

When asked whether he would end his career at Brighton back in March, he said: “My contract was expiring in the summer but I have extended it by another year. Beyond that, I will leave my options open.”

“I have been here for five years and still love it but you never know in football.”

Brighton’s defensive reshuffle could run deeper than right-back too, with highly rated centre-half Jan Paul van Hecke attracting strong interest from multiple Champions League clubs, and a valuation in the region of £45 million already being discussed.

Loyal Servant

Veltman has been a loyal servant to the Seagulls over the years since joining the club in 2020.

Prior to that he had only ever played for Ajax and was a three-time Dutch league winner with the club and was part of the Europa League runners-up run in 2017.

During his time in international football he played 28 times and played in the 2014 World Cup, where they finished third, and the 2020 Euros.