Exclusive:Ex-Sunderland midfielder set for deadline day Brighton departure as several EFL clubs circle
Former Sunderland midfielder Josh Robertson is expected to leave Brighton on loan, with several EFL clubs interested ahead of the deadline
Former Sunderland youngster Josh Robertson is expected to leave Brighton on loan on deadline day, with several EFL clubs showing interest in the 20-year-old midfielder, The Echo understands
Robertson is highly regarded at Brighton but now needs regular senior football to continue his development. A League Two move is currently viewed as the likeliest outcome, with discussions taking place over a temporary exit before the window closes.
Robertson left Sunderland for Brighton in February 2024 after progressing through the Black Cats’ academy from the age of nine. He had already made his Premier League 2 debut for Sunderland before Brighton moved to sign him on undisclosed terms and handed him a three-and-a-half-year contract.
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His early progress on the south coast was badly disrupted by injury. Robertson suffered a hamstring problem just a month after arriving and was sidelined for around nine months, before another hamstring issue delayed his return further.
Brighton have remained patient, and their faith was underlined in February when Robertson signed a new contract running until June 2028. At that stage, the club said they had “high hopes” for him after he registered three goals and three assists across ten appearances in Premier League 2, the National League Cup and EFL Trophy.
The next step is senior football. Robertson has rebuilt momentum at under-21 level, and Brighton now believe a loan can give him the regular competitive minutes needed to push his career forward, with League Two clubs currently thought best placed to move.