Tommy Watson joins Leicester City on loan from Brighton, subject to EFL approval | OneFootball

Tommy Watson has joined Leicester City on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion for the 2026-27 League One season, subject to EFL approval. The 20-year-old will spend the campaign at King Power Stadium as Leicester target an immediate return to the Championship.

Sunderland Echo reports that Leicester moved for Watson after he spent the second half of last season on loan with Championship side Millwall. He had made six Premier League appearances for Brighton before that, and Millwall finished third in the second tier.

Watson said he was delighted to sign, highlighting the club’s size, its ambition for the season and the chance to be part of what is being built. He aims to work hard, add energy and excitement, and is looking forward to playing in front of the supporters at King Power Stadium.

Born in County Durham, Watson joined Sunderland’s academy at under-nine level and made his senior debut in April 2023. His breakthrough came in the promotion-winning 2024-25 season, featuring 22 times in all competitions and scoring one of the club’s most important recent goals.

He came off the bench in the Championship play-off final against Sheffield United and struck a stoppage-time winner at Wembley, sealing Sunderland’s return to the Premier League. He had already agreed a move to Brighton for around £10 million, completed in June 2025, and scored on his Seagulls debut in a 6-0 Carabao Cup win over Oxford United.

Watson later made his Premier League debut and appeared six times, but regular senior football has been limited since leaving Wearside. A loan at Leicester should offer the opportunity to play consistently and further his development.

Source: Sunderland Echo