Brighton & Hove Albion are closing in on a deal for Venezia and Austria centre-back Michael Svoboda, with the Seagulls moving to add experienced defensive cover after a summer of significant back-line churn.
According to Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre, Brighton are advancing towards the 27-year-old, who has also been reported to have a release clause in the region of €5million. That would make the move a very different profile from the club’s higher-cost pursuit of teenage Tottenham defender Luka Vuskovic.
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Svoboda is not a speculative teenager. Venezia list him as a 1.95m defender, while the Italian club confirmed in February that he had signed a contract until 2029 after becoming captain and making more than 120 appearances for the club.
He is also part of Austria’s 2026 World Cup squad, with Venezia confirming his call-up in May. For Brighton, that matters: this looks less like a development punt and more like a low-cost squad stabiliser for a European season that will stretch the group.
ReadBrighton previously covered the early Michael Svoboda reports, but the latest update now points to a deal gathering pace. With Jan Paul van Hecke already gone and defensive succession planning accelerating, Brighton appear to be adding height, tournament experience and immediate availability in one move.
