Gabby George Set for Brighton Move as Seagulls Aim for WSL Elite

Brighton are closing on a deal for Manchester United defender Gabby George in a move that underlines the club’s intent to muscle into the Women’s Super League elite.

The 29-year-old, who has a year left on her United contract after the club triggered an extension in January, is expected to command a six-figure fee. For a player with her mileage and versatility, Brighton see that as smart business rather than a gamble.

George joined United in 2023 and has passed the 50-appearance mark during a three-year spell that brought the Women’s FA Cup in 2024. She never quite became undroppable in Manchester, but she rarely hid. Now she wants more than a squad role. Regular minutes are the driver behind this move.

Brighton are offering exactly that: a central place in an ambitious project.

Brighton’s rebuild gathers pace

Dario Vidosic has not been shy this summer. The south coast club have already brought in Switzerland captain Lia Walti and Norwegian midfielder Emilie Joramo from Hammarby, among others, as they look to turn last season’s seventh-place finish into something more threatening.

George slots neatly into that plan. A defender who can operate across the back line, she adds experience, leadership and a touch of edge to a squad that has sometimes lacked hardened WSL know-how in key moments.

Her CV backs it up. A graduate of Everton’s academy, George played more than 100 games for the club before her switch to United, establishing herself as one of the league’s more reliable and technically sound defenders. Three England caps add an international sheen to a player now entering what should be the peak years of her career.

For Brighton, that profile is gold: proven at this level, hungry for a bigger role, and still with time to shape the dressing room around her.

Timing that matters

The move, if completed in time, would drop George straight into the build-up for a daunting opener: Brighton host Arsenal on Sunday, 6 September (12:00 BST). It is the kind of fixture where composure at the back is non-negotiable.

Brighton have spent the summer strengthening. Securing George would show they are also maturing.