Brighton and Hove Albion will listen to offers for Julio Enciso this summer, eyeing up around €30m to let him go permanently.
That’s according to journalist Christian Martin speaking to Versus, who believes the midfielder will be put up for sale once he returns from a loan spell at Ipswich Town.
Enciso joined Kieran McKenna’s side on loan in the January transfer window after finding himself out of the picture under Fabian Hurzeler this season.
He’s been a regular for the Premier League strugglers, but they are unlikely to make his move a permanent one, particularly if they are relegated back to the Championship.
That will leave Brighton and Enciso with a decision to make as he’ll return to the club but only have a year left on his current deal.
That means it will be a case of renewing or selling to ensure he does not leave on a free next summer. He’d be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement from January under those circumstances.
Brighton will presumably want to avoid that, and Martin believes that will see the midfielder put up for sale in the coming months.
“Hey, let’s see what happens with him. Brighton will listen to offers for Julio,” he said.
“Look, Julio’s dream, off the record he told me that one day he’d like to play for Barcelona. Um, but Brighton has always been a good negotiator.
“I think Brighton will let him go for €30m, which isn’t a bad price for a player like Julio. Julio will have offers from the Premier League, from Italy, maybe there in Spain.
“I think if he doesn’t renew, they won’t speculate, Brighton will want to listen to offers now in July. €30m, almost $36m, a little more, maybe.”
