Brighton reject £20million bid from promoted side for player with zero senior appearances for the club

Brighton have rejected an offer from Coventry City worth up to £20million for Carl Rushworth, talkSPORT understands.

talkSPORT reported the Sky Blues’ club-record bid for the 24-year-old goalkeeper last week after their promotion to the Premier League.

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Rushworth spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Coventry and played a pivotal role in their Championship title triumph.

He kept 17 clean sheets in 46 league matches and was also named in the EFL Championship Team of the Year.

Brighton reject Coventry bid for Rushworth

Coventry owner Doug King remained coy on the prospect of signing him on a permanent deal when speaking to talkSPORT in April.

Brighton have now rebuffed their bid for Rushworth, who has never made a senior appearance for the Seagulls.

The former Huddersfield Town and FC Halifax Town academy player joined Brighton in 2019.

Loan spells have come at Worthing, Walsall, Lincoln City, Swansea City, Hull City and Coventry.

Rushworth has featured 27 times for Brighton’s youth sides, but has not been able to break into the first team squad.

As talkSPORT reported in March, he has interest from as many as six Premier League clubs.

Brighton could opt to keep the goalkeeper, although his contract will expire at the end of the 2026/27 campaign.

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Bart Verbruggen is the club’s no. 1 goalkeeper, whilst Jason Steele and Tom McGill are two other options.

Brighton building for next season

Although the summer transfer window opens on June 15, Brighton have already confirmed the signing of Zadok Yohanna.

The 18-year-old winger will join the club in a move reportedly worth £21.5m from AIK Stockholm.

Brighton are also eyeing a talent from their Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

They have made a £30m bid for defender Luka Vuskovic, who hasn’t made a senior appearance for Spurs.

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Vuskovic, formerly of HNK Hajduk Split, had a very impressive season on loan at Hamburger SV in Germany.

Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Juventus are among the other interested sides in Vuskovic, who is keen on a move to Brighton.