Brighton & Hove Albion have signed Canadian striker Promise David from Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise on a season-long loan, with an obligation to buy reportedly worth around €25.3 million if certain undisclosed criteria are met.
The 25-year-old joins Brighton after two impressive seasons with Union Saint-Gilloise, where he scored 41 goals in 82 appearances and helped the club win its first Belgian league title in 90 years in 2025.
David also represented Canada at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring once in limited action after recovering from a hip injury. He has four goals in 14 appearances for the Canadian national team.
Born in Brampton, Ontario, to Nigerian parents, David initially represented Nigeria at under-23 level before switching his international allegiance to Canada in 2025 following FIFA approval.
His move to Brighton represents another major step in a remarkable rise which has taken him through several countries, including Malta.
David arrived in Malta in January 2022 after playing in Croatia and the United States, joining Valletta.
He was initially assigned to Valletta’s Under-19 side but was quickly promoted to the senior squad. During the 2021/22 season, he made 14 appearances for the club, scoring four goals and providing four assists.
Two of his goals proved particularly important in Valletta’s run to the 2022 FA Trophy final, as he scored against Marsaxlokk in the quarter-finals and netted the decisive goal against Sta Lucia in the semi-finals.
After leaving Valletta, David joined Sirens for the 2022/23 campaign.
David’s time in Malta gave him valuable experience in the Maltese Premier League before he moved on to Estonia.
His career changed dramatically after joining Nõmme Kalju in Estonia in early 2023. He began scoring regularly, eventually establishing himself with the senior side before earning a move to Union Saint-Gilloise in July 2024.
At Union, David developed into one of Belgian football’s most effective strikers, scoring 41 goals in 82 matches and helping the club secure a historic league title.
Brighton sporting director Mike Cave said the club had been monitoring David for some time and described him as an “out-and-out striker” with outstanding physical attributes and a proven record of scoring goals.
David will now continue his remarkable journey in the Premier League, with Brighton having finished eighth in England’s top flight last season.
