Sussex

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Costinha, full name Joao Pedro Loureiro da Costa, joins Brighton as a result of extensive data analysis and scouting from the club's impressive recruitment model.

Having been targeted since January, the 26-year-old is likely to start the season as back-up to Joel Veltman at right-back. Veltman is in talks to extend a contract that expires at the end of this month.

Adding depth is particularly important in a year when Brighton have qualified for the Conference League. The defender, who is said to speak English, also knows 19-year-old striker Charalampos Kostoulas from their time together at Olympiacos.

It was at the Greek club that Costinha reinvented himself, converting from a winger into a physically powerful right-back - a move that helped him flourish.

Olympiacos gave Costinha experience of playing in the Champions League and chances to win multiple titles in Greece.

However, he was a late bloomer and moved between several academies - Cavaloes, Aveleda, Porto and Braga, as well as a loan spell at Palmeiras - before joining Rio Ave, where he made his breakthrough aged 20 in the Portuguese top flight.

The cousin of former Watford defender Joao Ferreira, Costinha is from Povoa de Varzim, a fishing and resort town just north of Porto, and is the first permanent Portuguese signing in Brighton's history.

A new episode of BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast is now available on BBC Sounds.

Johnny Cantor and former Seagulls player Warren Aspinall assess the signing of Costinha, analyse Albion's representatives at the World Cup and play a game of 'keep, loan, sell' - plus Brighton Shakespeare Company artistic director Mark Brailsford discusses his new play to celebrate the club's 125th anniversary.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Brighton content on BBC Sounds

The World Cup may be less than a week old but the 2026-27 Premier League fixtures will be released on Friday.

And to get in the mood, we want your stories of opening-day games that have stuck in your minds most - both the good and the bad.

Get in touch with your memories here

And make sure to come back to this page on Friday to see how Brghton's league fixture list has fallen.

It's been a while coming but in Costinha Brighton have signed a player who they hope will solve a troublesome area over the last five years.

In 2020 Joel Veltman signed from Ajax and has made nearly 200 appearances for the Seagulls. The Dutchman is understood to be discussing a possible new deal but is now 34.

Over that period the Seagulls have sought to find a back-up solution with Pascal Gross, Jack Hinshelwood and Solly March all trying to fill in while Tariq Lamptey suffered persistent injury woes. More recently Mats Wieffer, signed as a central midfielder, has emerged as a decent combative option.

Costinha may have to battle Wieffer for his place but the 26-year-old Portuguese fits the robust, intense profile of player Fabian Hurzeler likes. He's described as a player who likes to attack and overlap which fits perfectly into the way the team plays.

His experience should also come in useful as Brighton embark on their second season in Europe. All in all, it is a signing that makes sense in many ways, and at around £11m it looks to be good value. The proof is in the pudding but it could be another inspired deal from a club that has built a reputation for thinking outside the box.

Subscribe to the Albion Unlimited podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

New Brighton signing Costinha says he wants to help the club "fight for titles".

The 26-year-old right-back has arrived for around £11m on a five-year deal from Olympiakos where he won both the Greek league and cup.

"I'm so excited for this club and to play in the Premier League," he told the Seagulls media team after the move was confirmed.

"It's a dream as a kid and now it's a good moment for this experience and to help this club and my team-mates. It's very important to me.

"I spoke with some people about the club, I'm very excited to start. I think it's a very good club and experience for me. This club I think is like a family and I think that is the best for me.

"The people told me the people here like to help players. I'm excited to meet my team-mates, the coach, and all the staff, and to improve myself here at Brighton.

"I fight for every duel, I'm fast, I'm strong, and I like to run and help fight for titles. I'm motivated a lot for that. I want to feel the fans are happy with me and to help the team achieve our goals."

Former Portugal under-21 international Costinha is the first summer signing for Fabian Hurzeler's side as the club aims to strengthen the squad for only the second European campaign in its history.

"Costinha is a player we have followed closely for some time," added Brighton head coach Hurzeler.

"He has the defensive capabilities, intensity and understanding of what we value. He is also comfortable in and out of possession and will add competition at right-back."

Brighton's Yasin Ayari scored a stunning goal in Sweden's 5-1 victory over Tunisia.

However, Ayari chose not to celebrate as he could have represented the opposition as his father is Tunisian.

Former Albion boss Graham Potter's Sweden are currently at the top of Group F after the opening round of games.

Visit our World Cup index to keep up with all the latest from the tournament