Gillingham have made their second signing of the summer, completing a two-year deal for 20-year-old midfielder Zane Albarus from Brighton. He will officially become a Gillingham player at the start of next month.

The move gives Albarus his first chance in senior football and his first opportunity to play in the EFL. The midfielder, who can also operate at right-back, said he was excited to join and be involved for next season, adding that he could not wait for the chance to test himself at that level.

That is a significant step for a player who has spent his development years in Brighton’s system. Albarus joined the Premier League club from MK Dons as an under-16 player and has made four appearances in the EFL Trophy for Brighton’s under-21 side this season. Gillingham are betting that the next stage of his career belongs on a senior pitch, not in youth football.

The signing fits into Gareth Ainsworth’s summer recruitment drive and follows the earlier arrival of James Brophy from Cambridge United on a two-year deal. For Ainsworth, it is an early indication of the shape he wants his squad to take: young enough to grow, but already close enough to senior football to step in quickly when called upon.

Albarus said he puts 110% into everything he does, and the club will be hoping that commitment translates quickly once the deal formally begins. The one question left now is when he will make his debut, with the answer tied to the start of next month and the moment he finally gets his first run in senior EFL football.