Solly March Set to Leave Brighton on Free Transfer After 300 Appearances
Solly March will leave Brighton this summer on a free transfer after the club agreed to let him go, ending more than a decade at the AMEX Stadium. The 31-year-old winger had played beyond 300 appearances for Brighton, and his availability has already drawn interest from seven Premier League clubs plus Championship sides.
March and Brighton part ways
Brighton had held a 12-month option on March’s contract, but the club and the player reached an agreement for him to depart instead. That moves him onto the market without a transfer fee, a rare opening for clubs looking for experience without paying a fee before wages or bonuses are even discussed.
March leaves after more than a decade of service and after becoming one of Brighton’s most familiar senior players. His recent recovery also adds to the appeal: he is fully fit again after knee surgery, which restores a winger whose left foot has been described as one of the strongest and most reliable in the Premier League.
Newcastle and Everton circle
Newcastle United, Everton, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Fulham have all made expressions of interest, while Coventry City and Ipswich Town are also in the race. West Ham United and Wolves are interested as well, and that spread of clubs covers both the Premier League and the Championship.
March’s value is not limited to one role. He can operate across defence, midfield and attack, so clubs looking at him are not just weighing a winger’s output but a player who can fill several positions in the same squad.
Free transfer opens the door
The free-transfer route is the friction point for Brighton’s decision. A player with 300 appearances, top-flight experience and full fitness can attract more clubs when the fee barrier disappears, and March now becomes one of the more accessible experienced options in the market.
For Brighton, the agreement ends a long spell with a player who helped define a modern era at the club. For the clubs chasing him, the next step is straightforward: decide quickly whether his age, versatility and fitness outweigh the cost of the contract itself.
