Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth is set to rejoin Coventry City permanently after the clubs agreed a package worth up to £30million. The 25-year-old is expected to undergo a medical later this week.
Telegraph reporter John Percy says Coventry will pay an initial fee of around £22.5million. Further instalments will take the overall value of the transfer to £30million.
Brighton have also secured a sell-on percentage and a buy-back clause. Those protections will allow Albion to benefit if Rushworth continues his development at Coventry or earns another major transfer.
Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth set for Coventry return
Coventry had several earlier offers rejected before reaching an agreement. Brighton were determined to receive closer to their valuation and retain some control over Rushworth’s long-term future.
[ReadBrighton reported earlier on Tuesday that Coventry were closing in on the goalkeeper](NEEDS CMS LINK: Brighton goalkeeper close to reuniting with former club). The final agreement now gives Rushworth the opportunity to continue working under Frank Lampard.
The goalkeeper played every Championship match during his loan at Coventry last season. He kept 17 clean sheets as the Sky Blues won promotion to the Premier League.
Rushworth was also selected in the Championship Team of the Season. His performances attracted interest from other English clubs, but a return to Coventry remained his preferred outcome.
The proposed £22.5million initial payment will comfortably break Coventry’s transfer record. TalkSPORT had reported that the clubs were working towards an agreement at that figure.
Rushworth joined Brighton in 2019 but did not make a competitive first-team appearance. Loans with Walsall, Lincoln City, Swansea City, Hull City and Coventry instead provided him with regular senior football.
Bart Verbruggen remains Brighton’s established first-choice goalkeeper. Selling Rushworth provides Albion with a substantial fee while the buy-back and sell-on clauses protect their position if his value continues to rise.
