Exclusive: Brighton eying up French starlet Sael Kumbedi

Brighton and Hove Albion are monitoring Sael Kumbedi as they look to secure a long-term right-back, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

Our sources have been told the Seagulls are drawing up a shortlist of names they can scout this season ahead of a transfer next summer.

The south coast club are short of specialist options in the position after Tariq Lamptey’s move to Fiorentina in the summer.

Veteran Joel Veltman, a loyal servant over the past five years, turns 34 in January and the club’s hierarchy realise they have to act before it is too late.

Academy graduate Charlie Tasker, 19, is a promising talent, but it is understood the club do not want to pile the pressure on the talented youngster too soon. 

Tasker made his senior debut for the Seagulls when he came off the bench during last month’s EFL Cup drubbing of Oxford United.

Kumbedi is currently on loan at Bundesliga club Wolfsburg, from Lyon, who have an option to buy in the region of £5million.

And is it understood Brighton bosses would be willing to snatch the player from their grasp if they decide to pull the trigger.

Bright Future 

Frenchman Kumbedi is regarded as one of the brightest right-back prospects in Europe.

And he has already attracted interest from the Premier League with Crystal Palace having him on their radar earlier this summer.

Kumbedi, 20, has plenty of pedigree having started his footballing journey in the Paris St Germain ranks before moving to the famous Le Havre academy which has produced the likes of Paul Pogba, Riyad Mahrez, Dimitri Payet and Lassana Diarra. 

The bright spark has been at Lyon since 2022 and played over 60 times in Lique 1 with the club. 

Kumbedi has been capped at French age group level from U17s to U21s and has been tipped to make the senior side.