Rodrigo Rêgo has left Benfica for Brighton on a permanent transfer, with the 21-year-old moving into the Premier League on a five-year contract. Benfica announced the switch on Wednesday, and Brighton later set out the deal length and said the terms were undisclosed.
Brighton takes Rodrigo Rêgo
Brighton described him as a Portugal Under-21 international when it announced the signing on social media. The club’s post said: "We are pleased to confirm the signing of Portugal Under-21 international Rodrigo Rego from Benfica on a five-year contract, for undisclosed terms."
The move gives Brighton a young defender who has already worked his way into senior football at Benfica, even if only in limited bursts. He is now preparing for the next stage of his career in England after a transfer that is permanent rather than a loan.
Benfica path at Benfica Campus
Rêgo joined Benfica from Famalicão in the 2022/23 season and began his path at Benfica Campus. In his first two seasons, he played for Benfica’s junior and under-23 teams before moving closer to the first team.
His senior debut came on 21 November 2025 under José Mourinho, when he started and played 90 minutes in Benfica’s 2-0 win over Atlético in the fourth round of the Taça de Portugal. During 2025/26, he added four more first-team matches and also played one UEFA Champions League match against Ajax.
Five-year Brighton contract
Rêgo also made 21 appearances for Benfica B in 2025/26, a workload that shows how split his season had become between reserve football and the senior group. That makes the timing of this transfer notable: he is leaving Benfica after only recently making his senior debut and before his first-team role had fully settled.
Brighton now has a player who has already seen senior, reserve and European football at Benfica, but the fee was not disclosed. For Benfica, the move closes a short but fast-moving rise through its pathway; for Brighton, it is a long-term bet on a 21-year-old who arrives with a five-year contract already in place.
