Brighton and club ‘one step away’ from ‘closing the transfer’ of 24-year-old

Brighton & Hove Albion are in the market for a new left-back after allowing Marc Cucurella to join Chelsea for a club-record fee.

Villarreal’s Pervis Estupiñan has been identified as one of the targets in the summer window.

Marca on Sunday explain the La Liga side and Brighton are now ‘one step away from closing the transfer’ of the 24-year-old.

The Yellow Submarine are looking to make an important sale before the window closes. In this regard, the former Watford man’s sale to Graham Potter’s side is ‘currently the closest’.

Estupiñan was among the unused substitutes in his side’s 3-0 win over Real Valladolid on Saturday. Although he was included in the squad, the report says the talks between Unai Emery’s side and Brighton have been open for several days.

At the weekend, these talks accelerated, to the point the parties take it for granted the Ecuador international’s transfer to The Amex will be soon be a reality.

The operation will not be worth less than the amount Villarreal paid to Watford [€16m] in 2020. The fullback’s sale will provide the Spanish club with the necessary funds to carry out signings.