Europa League-bound Brighton is after another young gem from South America after reports link Roberto De Zerbi’s Seagulls to Argentine youth starlet Valentín Barco.
The 19-year-old Boca Juniors academy graduate comes highly-rated and recently featured in the FIFA U-20 World Cup after breaking into the senior side at club level during the 2023 Liga Profesional de Fútbol season.
Per football insider Fabrizio Romano, who relayed information first dispatched by ESPN Argentina, Brighton is currently in talks over a deal to bring the young left-sided player to The Amex this summer, with club sources reportedly confirming their “concrete interest” amid Barco being keen on the move.
Brighton are in talks to sign Argentine left back Valentín Barco, negotiations are ongoing — concrete interest club sources confirm 🔵🇦🇷
Deal on, as @ESPNArgentina called.
Player’s keen on the move and talks will continue to get it done for 2004 born talented LB. pic.twitter.com/nGbuyYVQ35
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 15, 2023
Barco, who was featured in The Guardian’s “Next Generation” list for 2021, would be just the latest move by the club to secure young talent with massive long-term potential from South America.
Over the last five summer windows, Brighton brought in Julio Enciso, Facundo Buonanotte, Moisés Caicedo, and Alexis Mac Allister from Club Libertad Asunción, Rosario Central, Independiente del Valle, and Argentinos Juniors respectively.
Given the club’s success rate at rapidly developing all four of the aforementioned talents, and with Caicedo and Mac Allister being flipped for a profit of well over £100m when the pair departed for Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, it can easily be asserted that Barco is in line to see his profile increase considerably alongside Enciso and Buonanotte under De Zerbi in the near future.
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