Lewis Dunk this evening put pen-to-paper on his first professional contract, signing a two-year deal with the club.
The talented young defender was still only a second-year scholar when he was thrust into the limelight for the final two games of last season, and he admits he didn't want a whirlwind week to come to an end.
"It fees good to sign the deal!" Dunk told seagulls.co.uk. "It's all I've wanted to do my whole life.
"It was brilliant when I got into the first team. I made my debut at MK Dons and was on the bench for the final game.
"Everything happened so quickly in that one week, it was totally surreal. I just didn't want the season to end."
Brighton-born Dunk will now jet off on holiday before preparing himself for pre-season, which he is approaching with mixed emotions.
"The manager spoke to me at the end of last season and told me to keep doing what I've been doing, and he'll have another look at me in pre-season and we'll go from there.
"I'm itching to get going for pre-season, but I still know it's not going to easy! You just have to get on with it."
Meanwhile Jake Caskey has also formally agreed his three-year deal with the club. He will begin on a one-year scholarship, before receiving a two-year professional contract when he turns 17.
