The defensive midfielder merry-go-round continues after Moises Caicedo was confirmed as Chelsea’s record signing, with old side Brighton and Hove Albion looking to beat a queue of suitors to his replacement.
If there’s one thing that has stood out for the Seagulls over the past couple of years, it’s the strength of their recruitment department as well as a defined and exciting playing style that has become the envy of the Premier League.
Losing Graham Potter to Chelsea could’ve seen the beginning of the end to their forward-thinking project, however, Roberto De Zerbi took on the mantle and took the club to the next level, leading them to their highest ever finish last season.
The progression is obvious and even when losing talents such as Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, one is left with the feeling that, somehow, they’ll still cope admirably.
One of the players that they are looking at to replace the 21-year-old Ecuadorian is Lille’s brilliant 19-year-old, Carlos Baleba.
The Daily Mail suggest that a deal for in the region of £15m, a fraction of the Caicedo sale price, could be in the offing, but it looks as though Brighton will face competition from both Liverpool and Newcastle as well as Serie A giants, AC Milan and Juventus, and Ligue Un rivals, Monaco.
In keeping with their great business of late it seems that the Seagulls have stolen a march on their rivals as talks have, apparently, already begun with Lille.
It remains to be seen if they can get the deal over the line.