Brighton & Hove Albion have agreed a deal to sign Costinha from Olympiacos, giving Albion supporters the clearest right-back answer of the summer so far.
The club confirmed on Monday evening that the 26-year-old Portuguese full-back will join on a five-year contract running until June 2031. The move is for undisclosed terms and remains subject to international clearance and the usual regulatory approvals.
That matters because this is no longer a scouting link or a background transfer line. Brighton now have a senior specialist right-back arriving before pre-season, at a point when Fabian Hurzeler’s squad needs greater defensive clarity before Premier League and European demands return.
Why Costinha matters for Brighton now
Brighton’s announcement describes Costinha as a regular for Olympiacos, noting his defensive reliability, energy down the right flank and growing influence in possession. Those are not throwaway traits for this Albion squad.
Hurzeler said Brighton had “followed closely for some time” and added that Costinha will “add competition at right-back”. Supporters should pay attention to that second phrase. It frames the deal as a squad-building move rather than a decorative addition.
Right-back has been an awkward area for Albion across recent seasons. Joel Veltman’s contract talks have remained part of the summer picture, while Mats Wieffer and Ferdi Kadioglu have both been used in ways that underline Brighton’s need for reliable specialist depth. ReadBrighton has already covered how Brighton’s departures and Veltman’s talks left supporters waiting for a firmer defensive plan.
Costinha does not answer every defensive question by himself, and it would be premature to call him an automatic starter before he has played in England. But he gives Hurzeler a proper option in a role that had too much uncertainty around it.
What Albion are getting from Olympiacos
Costinha, full name Joao Pedro Loureiro da Costa, developed in Portugal before establishing himself with Rio Ave and then Olympiacos. Brighton’s official piece says he made 74 appearances for the Greek club and has represented Portugal from under-18 to under-21 level.
Sports Mole reports that the fee is believed to be around GBP11m, while Brighton have kept the official terms undisclosed. That distinction matters: the reliable fact is the completed agreement and contract length; the fee remains reported rather than club-confirmed.
The broader squad context is just as important. Sky Sports News had already identified right-back as one of Brighton’s summer priorities, alongside centre-back, midfield and attack, with Veltman’s situation still unresolved. A Costinha deal therefore lands in an obvious area of need, not as a luxury signing.
Albion fans will also recognise the recruitment logic. Costinha is not an 18-year-old development punt, but he still fits the club’s preference for players with room to grow, resale logic and a technical profile that can fit a possession-heavy side.
The supporter takeaway
The cleanest reading is that Brighton have acted early in a position where uncertainty could have dragged into pre-season. That is good squad management, especially with Europe adding pressure to the calendar.
There are still decisions to come. Van Hecke interest, Veltman’s future, centre-back recruitment and midfield balance all remain part of Albion’s wider summer. But Costinha gives the right side of defence a more settled shape than it had 24 hours ago.
For supporters, the question now is not whether Brighton will add a right-back. They have done it. The better question is how quickly Costinha adapts, and whether he can turn that promised competition into a starting role.
For more on Albion’s summer work, follow ReadBrighton’s Brighton transfer coverage and our wider Brighton news hub.
