Promise David Joins Brighton & Hove Albion on Loan

Promise David’s long road to the top has reached the Premier League.

Brighton & Hove Albion confirmed on Tuesday that the Canadian striker has joined from Union Saint-Gilloise on a season-long loan, a deal that carries an obligation to buy for a reported US$29.7 million if certain undisclosed conditions are triggered. For Union, it is a record sale; for Brighton, it is a major bet on a late-blooming No. 9 with a crowded passport and a rising reputation.

Union announced that David will be a Premier League player “from the next season onwards,” underlining the expectation that the move will become permanent once the clauses are met.

From Brussels glory to Brighton’s project

David arrives on the south coast after two outstanding seasons in Brussels. At Union, he struck 41 goals in 82 appearances and was central to the club’s historic 2025 title win, their first league crown in 90 years. That form earned him a contract extension through June 2029 only last year, a deal that now looks like a launchpad rather than a long stay.

Brighton have built a reputation for spotting value before the rest of Europe, and they have tracked David for a while.

“Promise is someone we have been watching for some time, he is an out-and-out striker who possesses outstanding physical attributes and a track record of scoring goals,” sporting director Mike Cave said in a club statement. “His experience at international level and in European competition will hopefully prove valuable this season.

“At 25, he’s entering his prime playing years and we’re excited to see him continue to develop in our environment.”

For a club that has spent nine straight seasons in England’s top flight and finished eighth in the Premier League last term, this is a signing aimed at sharpening an already ambitious side rather than simply surviving.

A winding international path

David’s journey to the Canadian national team has been anything but straightforward.

Born in Brampton, Ont., to Nigerian parents, he first pulled on international colours for Nigeria’s under-23 side in October 2022. The story shifted in February 2025, when, after discussions with Canada coach Jesse Marsch, FIFA approved his request to switch allegiance.

Since then, he has collected 14 caps and scored four goals for Canada’s senior team. At this past summer’s World Cup, he battled back from a hip injury to make an impact off the bench, scoring once in limited minutes.

That combination of resilience and end-product is part of what Brighton are buying into.

A striker who has seen it all

David’s club career reads like a backpacker’s itinerary through European football. Before his move to Belgium in July 2024, he played professionally in Croatia, Malta and Estonia, learning to score goals in far from glamorous surroundings and adapting to new leagues at speed.

Now comes the biggest test: a Premier League campaign with a club that expects to compete, not just participate.

Brighton believe he is ready. The fee suggests they are convinced. The only question left is how quickly Promise David can turn that faith into goals on England’s biggest stages.