Ex-Ajax man reveals how Graham Potter and Tony Bloom sealed Brighton's 'greatest transfer'

A year before Ben White left Brighton for Arsenal in 2021 for £50m, the Seagulls negotiated one of their best signings since their promotion to the Premier League in 2018.

Joel Veltman was 28 at the time and in the prime of his career. He was a full Netherlands international defender and just reached the semi-final final of the Champions League with Erik ten Hag’s Ajax.

Veltman is equally comfortable at full-back and at centre back and operates in a similar position to White. Players of that calibre and experience can often fetch upwards of £25m but somehow Albion prised him from Amsterdam for just £900,000.

Along with Pascal Gross, Veltman, now 31, remains one of the greatest and best value signings Brighton have made in the top flight. The reliable defender has now made 116 appearances in total for the Seagulls and this Thursday is set to face his old club Ajax in the Europa League Group B clash at the American Express Stadium.

“I was happy in Amsterdam,” explained Veltman to Official Brighton & Hove Albion Podcast. “The last few years there I did have some chances to leave but it just didn’t feel right. I had been there since I was 10-years-old. I had my family and friends there, I felt at home.

"At the age of 28 I had the chance to leave Ajax, they were changing things and were looking to play younger players and I felt it was time to move on.”

Graham Potter was the manager of Albion at the time and the club was in the process of changing their playing style and had aspirations to compete at the top end, rather than battling relegation. It was a challenge that appealed to Veltman.

“The conversation I had with Graham Potter was really inspiring,” Veltman added. “We were fighting relegation when I came, and I also had a conversation with Tony Bloom as well. He didn't say we were going to be fighting for the top four, he was realistic. It just felt right.

“I knew [former Albion midfielder] Davy Propper and he told me that the club was evolving and did not want to stay near the bottom of the table.”

Veltman has been a huge part of that rise and helped Brighton to a top six finish last term and set up this Europa League date with his old club.