Right after reports in Argentina linked Brighton with Boca Juniors youngster Tomás Aranda, another name has now emerged in the Seagulls’ scouting pool.
Leonel Flores is the latest academy product said to have caught the Premier League club’s attention. This is according to El Crack Deportivo.
The situation seems to be pretty much the same to Aranda’s. Boca have no intention of letting him leave while he is only beginning to establish himself in senior football.
The report adds that Juan Román Riquelme would only reconsider his stance if Brighton arrived with a significant offer.
Rapid rise through the ranks
Leonel Flores has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the past two seasons. As explained by TyC Sports, the forward was a standout performer for Boca’s reserve side. He scored 19 goals and provided five assists in 51 official appearances before earning his senior opportunity.
That promotion has already paid off. Flores has scored once in his first three appearances for Boca’s first team. He made an immediate impression after manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena handed him his debut.
TyC recently detailed the teenager’s journey through Boca’s academy, where he has been since joining as a seven-year-old in 2014. His breakthrough came after starring for the reserves. In doing so, he helped the side win two titles and earned a reputation as a versatile attacker capable of playing across the front line.
His first-team debut could hardly have gone better. Flores scored against Sarmiento in the Copa Argentina. After that, he earned a starting role in the Copa Sudamericana against O’Higgins, where he was applauded off by the Boca supporters after an encouraging display.
Brighton following familiar transfer strategy
Leonel Flores is under contract with Boca until December 2029 after signing his first professional deal last year. This leaves the Argentine club in a strong negotiating position if interest develops into formal offers.
The teenager’s growing reputation has also been boosted by World Cup winner Leandro Paredes. Earlier this year, the midfielder singled him out as one of Boca’s standout academy prospects, saying: “There is a kid in the reserves called Leo Flores who is also very good.”
Brighton’s interest also fits their established recruitment model. The Seagulls have repeatedly targeted emerging South American talent before players become established stars, and Flores appears to be another name they are tracking closely.
