It was expected, and now it appears to be happening, as Brighton & Hove Albion close in on their long-term Moises Caicedo replacement.
That player will be Carlos Baleba, currently at Lille in France, who is now getting closer to a transfer to the Seagulls, according to Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna.
Taking to Twitter, he reveals that Brighton have managed to ‘reach an agreement’ with Lille for the transfer of the 19-year-old, with the Premier League club reportedly paying ‘around €30m’ for him, with bonuses included in that total.
In fact, the player has been ‘given permission’ to travel to the United Kingdom, where he will ‘undergo his medical’ this week ahead of potentially signing his contract with Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
This is a bit of a gamble for Brighton, considering how little professional football Baleba has under his belt, but they also have a great track record when it comes to identifying potential in young players.
Will this be another one to pay off? If he gets sold down the line for a similar fee to the one they got for Caicedo, it will certainly have been worth it.
🚨EXCL: 🔵🇨🇲 #PL |
◉ Brighton reach agreement with Lille to sign Carlos Baleba. Brighton set to pay around €30 add-ons included.
◉ Baleba given permission to travel to UK & undergo medical this week.
Avec @sebnonda pic.twitter.com/iddQ5xOpZW
— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) August 21, 2023
