Last updated: 5 October 2026, 3:52pm BST
Brighton & Hove Albion defender Manuela Vanegas has signed a new long-term contract, the club announced on Monday 5 October, keeping one of the most established members of the women’s back line in Sussex beyond her original deal.
At a glance
- Colombia international Manuela Vanegas has agreed a new long-term Brighton contract.
- Albion did not disclose the precise expiry date or financial terms.
- The 25-year-old has made 28 appearances in all competitions since joining in summer 2025.
- The decision follows Brighton’s 5–1 WSL win over Charlton at the Amex.
What happened
Albion confirmed the agreement in an official club announcement. Head coach Arturo Ruiz said Vanegas’s work rate, commitment and willingness to improve had impressed the staff.
The club describes the deal only as “long-term”, so supporters should note that its exact length remains unconfirmed. No salary or other contractual details were published.
Vanegas joined Brighton from Real Sociedad in summer 2025. The Albion player profile lists the 25-year-old as a defender, while the club says she has now played 28 times in all competitions and scored twice. One of those goals came in last season’s 3–2 FA Cup semi-final win over Liverpool, before she featured in the Wembley final.
A secondary report carried by Yahoo Sports, based on The Argus’s coverage, also confirmed the deal and placed it immediately after Albion’s emphatic weekend result.
Why the Manuela Vanegas Brighton contract matters
This is a continuity decision as much as a transfer story. Vanegas arrived with senior international experience, having made her Colombia debut in 2018 and played at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. She then became a regular part of a Brighton side that reached the FA Cup final.
For Albion, securing an established defender reduces one obvious area of future squad uncertainty. It also gives Ruiz a player who already understands the league and the group while the head coach develops his team. That matters after a mixed opening to the campaign, even though Sunday’s 5–1 victory over Charlton delivered Brighton’s first WSL win of the season.
Brighton Locals’ view
Our judgement: this looks like sensible, timely retention rather than a headline-grabbing gamble. Brighton have rewarded a defender who has quickly become trusted at club and international level, and doing so early should help squad planning.
The one limitation is transparency: “long-term” tells supporters the direction of travel, but not the duration. The deal will be easier to assess fully when its place in Albion’s wider recruitment and renewal plans becomes clearer.
What to watch next
The immediate test is sporting rather than contractual: whether Vanegas remains central to Ruiz’s preferred defensive unit and whether Brighton can turn the Charlton result into a sustained run. Further renewals or defensive recruitment would also show how the club is balancing continuity with competition for places.
What supporters need to know
No ticket deadline or supporter action accompanies this announcement. Fans looking for confirmed updates should use Albion’s official women’s team channels and player profile; the club has not supplied an exact contract end date, so claims of a specific expiry should be treated cautiously unless Albion publishes one.
Bottom line
Brighton have secured a proven international defender at a moment when stability can help turn one strong result into progress across the season.
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