Brighton will have the option to extend the deal by another year. Mike Hewitt/Getty ImagesJune 26, 2026 7:18 am EDT Updated Nehemiah Oriola is poised to sign a new contract with Brighton & Hove Albion.The fresh deal for the former Manchester United and West Ham United prospect will run until 2029, with the option of another year for the club.Oriola’s existing contract has a year remaining with an option year for Brighton. They plan to keep hold of the 19-year-old winger, rather than sending him out on loan, so that he can compete for a place in Fabian Hurzeler’s first team.Brighton face a busy first half of the season in the Premier League, the Carabao Cup and the Europa League with the potential for six extra fixtures in the league phase of the latter competition if they come through a two-legged tie in the play-offs round on August 20 and August 27.Hurzeler needs a bigger squad to cope with the workload, so talented youngsters such as Oriola will have more opportunities to shine before his situation is reassessed in January.Oriola started out in West Ham’s academy and spent three years at Manchester United before leaving by mutual consent to join Brighton in 2023. He has made rapid progress in the under-21s to catch the eye of Hurzeler. The German described Oriola as an “unbelievable talent” after including him in the matchday squad for the first time for a 2-1 home win against Newcastle United last October.“He’s a very good left-footed player, he’s very good one-against-one, he shows good reactions when he loses the ball,” Hurzeler added.Oriola made his senior debut as a substitute in the last few minutes of a 3-0 home win against Leeds United in November. He featured in the matchday squad for Premier League fixtures six times in total last season and helped the Under-21s win the Premier League 2 play-offs in May with a 1-0 home win against Manchester United in the final.Oriola scored eight goals with four assists in 18 Premier League 2 appearances for the Under-21’s during the regular season. Born in England, he also qualifies to represent Ghana or Nigeria on the international stage via his parents.Jun 26, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms