Benfica move ahead of Brighton in €20m Kaminski race

Brighton’s pursuit of Jakub Kaminski has suffered a major setback, with Benfica now reportedly leading the race for the Cologne winger.

Portuguese newspaper Record reports that Benfica are negotiating directly with the German club and believe a deal can be completed within the next few days.

That represents a significant change after weeks of reports in Germany placed Brighton in a strong position to sign the Poland international.

Brighton had reportedly turned their attention to Kaminski after moving away from a deal for Said El Mala. The Seagulls were then said to be prepared to activate his €20 million (£17.3m) release clause, which remains valid until the middle of July.

Kaminski had also publicly spoken of his ambition to play in the Premier League, strengthening the belief that Brighton could be his next destination.

Record now presents Benfica as the favourites. The Portuguese club hope to reach an agreement quickly enough for manager Marco Silva to have the 24-year-old available during the early stages of pre-season.

Brighton remain interested, while RB Leipzig have also monitored the situation, but Benfica are currently considered to be in pole position.

The key question is whether Brighton will respond before Benfica complete negotiations.

Cologne are looking to sell Kaminski after exercising their option to sign him permanently this summer. His €20m release clause gives interested clubs a clear route to a deal, but Brighton may now need to act quickly if they want to prevent Benfica from taking control.

Kaminski scored seven goals and provided five assists in the Bundesliga last season. His versatility is another major attraction, with the Poland international capable of playing on either wing, as a wing-back or behind the main striker.

After appearing to lead the chase for several weeks, Brighton are now at risk of missing out. Benfica’s sudden acceleration has changed the transfer picture, and the next few days could decide where Kaminski plays next season.

Should Brighton activate Kaminski’s €20m clause before Benfica complete the deal?