Coventry City have secured the permanent signing of goalkeeper Carl Rushworth from Brighton & Hove Albion for a club-record fee reported to be around £22.5 million. The 25-year-old returns to Coventry after a successful loan spell last season, during which he played a key role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League, making 46 Championship appearances and keeping 17 clean sheets. This achievement earned him the Golden Glove award for the most clean sheets in the league.

Rushworth, who began his career at non-league Halifax before joining Brighton in 2019, did not make a senior appearance for the Seagulls prior to his time at Coventry. He gained experience through loan spells with Walsall, Lincoln City, Swansea City, and Hull City before his standout season with Coventry. The move marks a significant step as Coventry prepare for their first top-flight campaign in 25 years, starting with an away game against Arsenal on August 21.

Frank Lampard, Coventry’s head coach, expressed enthusiasm about Rushworth’s return on a permanent basis, describing him as a “top professional” and praising his influence during the promotion campaign. Rushworth himself shared his excitement, highlighting his emotional connection to the club and eagerness to face the new challenges of the Premier League.

Brighton’s sporting director, Mike Cave, acknowledged the club’s preference to retain Rushworth but respected his decision to seek regular first-team football in England’s top division. Financial terms of the deal reportedly include further add-ons and provisions such as a sell-on clause and a buy-back option, potentially increasing the transfer fee to around £30 million.

Rushworth becomes Coventry’s fourth signing this summer, following the acquisition of Switzerland defender Aurèle Amenda from Eintracht Frankfurt for £17 million—a new record for the club before Rushworth’s transfer—and the arrivals of Loum Tchaouna and Frank Onyeka. Prior to this transfer window, Coventry’s highest fee paid was £7.7 million for Haji Wright from Antalyaspor earlier in 2023.

In other transfer news, Aston Villa have successfully registered 17-year-old forward Brian Madjo after a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling allowed the London-born striker, raised in Luxembourg, to be eligible to play following his move from Metz in January. Madjo has made an impression during pre-season with four goals and is now available for competitive fixtures.