EXCLUSIVE: Brighton to sign Clarke as star man nears £30m Leicester move

Brighton have already agreed a deal for Lewis Dunk’s replacement, who in-turn is set to join Leicester this summer to replace Harry Maguire, we can reveal.

We revealed last week how the Foxes are willing to sell England star Maguire this summer if any club matches their huge £85m asking price.

And while the fee on Maguire seems extremely steep, Leicester are expecting the player to move on this summer with the player likely to choose between moves to Manchester United or Manchester City, where he would likely become the world’s most costly defender.

In turn, Leicester plan to replace Maguire with a club-record signing of their own – that of Seagulls lynchpin Dunk.

Dunk, himself on the fringes of the England squad, has caught the eye for Brighton since their elevation to the top flight and any deal for the 27-year-old will set Leicester back a club-record £30million.

The Seagulls, who this summer replaced Chris Hughton with Graham Potter, would like to keep the long-serving star but would find a big-money offer difficult to refuse, while Dunk himself would also be keen to make the move.

As such, we can reveal Potter has already struck a deal to sign the man to replace Dunk at the AMEX, with Portsmouth’s Matt Clarke is set to arrive in a £6million deal.

Leeds had been linked with a move for Clarke, but they’re unable to match Brighton’s bid, leaving the Seagulls free to bring the player up from League One and across the south coast.

As we understand, the signing of Clarke will set in motion the wheels for what could prove a defensive merry-go-round culminating with the world-record sale of Maguire.

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