Pape Gueye: Brighton linked with Villarreal’s €40m Senegal-France midfielder in summer move

Senegal-France central midfielder Pape Gueye of Villarreal is being linked with a summer move to Premier League side Brighton, with the 27-year-old’s future in Spain increasingly uncertain amid growing transfer speculation.

The La Liga club currently list no fixed contract expiry date for Gueye, raising the prospect that he could edge towards free agent status in the medium term if no new deal is agreed. The latest rumour, logged on 1 July 2026, places Brighton as a potential destination, though the reported probability of the move remains unclear and is marked simply as “?”.

Gueye, valued at €40.00m on Transfermarkt, joined Villarreal after establishing himself as a powerful left-footed central midfielder. Standing at 1.89m and wearing the No 18 shirt, he has become known for his blend of physical presence and technical control at the base of midfield. Born in Montreuil on 24 January 1999, he holds both Senegalese and French nationality.

Recent Villarreal fixtures have continued to showcase his importance, with the midfielder featuring centrally in LaLiga encounters as the Spanish club push for European qualification. In his latest outing, Villarreal’s match data shows him deployed in his usual central role, contributing to the team’s build-up play and defensive structure, even as transfer talk around him intensifies.

Brighton are understood to be scouring the market for midfield reinforcements, and Gueye’s profile – a tall, left-footed pivot with experience in a top European league – fits the type of signing the south coast club have often targeted. Any formal approach, however, would have to account for his current €40m valuation, even if uncertainty around his contract could strengthen the Premier League club’s negotiating position.

If a deal does materialise, a move to Brighton and the Premier League could mark the next major step in Gueye’s career, offering a new platform to enhance his reputation and test his potential in one of Europe’s most demanding competitions.