Luke Ayling & Liam Cooper lead Leeds tributes as Pascal Struijk seals Brighton move | OneFootball

Pascal Struijk’s transfer to Brighton was confirmed on Tuesday evening, prompting a flood of emotional goodbyes from Leeds United favourites past and present.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, Leeds will receive £18 million for the defender, plus £2m in potential add-ons and a portion of any future sale. The 26-year-old was offered a new contract but chose to seek a fresh challenge.

Struijk joined Leeds in 2018 as an 18-year-old and across eight-and-a-half seasons won two Championship titles while establishing himself at Premier League level. He featured under Marcelo Bielsa and Daniel Farke, one of the few to bridge both recent second-tier triumphs.

In a farewell video on Instagram, set to highlights from Elland Road, he called the club a family and said Leeds is about unconditional support rather than just results. He thanked supporters for making him feel part of theirs and said the bond would endure.

Tributes followed from former teammates and colleagues. Liam Cooper praised him and sent well wishes to his family, while Luke Ayling lauded his growth from youngster to man. Junior Firpo described him as a Leeds legend and urged him to thrive at Brighton.

Illan Meslier, also departing this summer, thanked Struijk for his contribution and congratulated him on his time at the club. Dominic Calvert-Lewin wished him well on his new journey, and Jayden Bogle said he would be missed and that it had been a pleasure.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk