Germany international Pascal Gross has returned to Brighton from Borussia Dortmund on a deal until June 2027.
The 34-year-old midfielder made 261 appearances for the Seagulls before joining the Bundesliga club 18 months ago for a fee of around £8m.
Gross featured 66 times for Dortmund, scoring one goal and assisting 17 times.
He spent seven seasons at Brighton after arriving from FC Ingolstadt in 2017 and head coach Fabian Hurzeler said: “We are really pleased to have Pascal back with us.
“He’s a fantastic player and someone I know well and was looking forward to working with when I first came to the club.
“Brighton fans know his attributes, but he brings great leadership qualities to the group. Those qualities, along with his experience and ability, will be a huge asset in the second half of the season.”
Gross wrote a farewell letter to Brighton fans when he departed in the summer of 2024, saying he was leaving with a “heavy heart”, but “knew he would regret” not joining his boyhood club Borussia Dortmund.
During his first stint, Gross helped the Seagulls secure their highest league finish when they ended the 2022-23 campaign in sixth and clinched a place in Europe.
Capped 16 times by his country, he scored 30 goals and laid on 45 assists across 228 Premier League appearances.
