Leicester City are closing in on their fourth signing of the 2026/27 summer transfer window as Russell Martin aims to build a team capable of earning promotion straight back to the Championship.
Transfer correspondent Pete O'Rourke has revealed that The Foxes have agreed a loan deal to sign Brighton winger Tommy Watson, who joined the south coast outfit in 2025 for a reported £10m.
The League One outfit have already bolstered their front line with the addition of former Ipswich Town man, but the sales of Bilal El Khannouss, Abdul Fatawu and Jeremy Monga means that there are still voids to fill.
Watson -- who joined Sunderland's youth setup at the age of nine -- made his Black Cats debut on 18th April 2023 against Huddersfield Town in the Championship.
It took until the final gameweek of the 2023/24 campaign for him to make his second Championship appearance, playing just three minutes in a 2-0 loss against Sheffield Wednesday, but the following season saw his involvement increase.
After featuring somewhat regularly in the early stages of the 2024/25 term, a serious knee injury ruled Watson out for the best part of three months. His game time was understandably reduced upon his return, but it was in the Championship play-off final where he etched himself in the Sunderland history books.
Watson didn't play in any of the semi-final contests, but he featured from the bench at Wembley and scored the 95th minute winner against Sheffield United, firing his boyhood club to the top-flight after an eight-year absence.
In spite of his play-off heroics in the capital, Sunderland cashed in on the forward in the summer of 2025, selling him to Brighton for £10m.
After spending the first half of the season at the Amex -- where he recorded four goal involvements in 10 appearances in all competitions -- Watson was sent out on loan to Championship play-off hopefuls Millwall.
While The Lions did secure a play-off spot, Watson failed to hit the ground running and played less than 300 Championship minutes in total.
Brighton will hope that a season of first team football in the third tier of English football with Leicester will aid the 20-year-old's development.
