Brighton have reached an agreement with Boca Juniors to sign acclaimed teenager Valentin Balco. The Premier League club will pay a $10 million release fee to secure the 19-year-old, who can play at left-back or winger. Brighton's scouts have been monitoring Balco for a few months now and were reportedly in active talks with Boca's ** last week.
Balco, who currently plays for Argentina's Under-23 national team, is expected to complete a medical in his home country before joining the Premier League. Brighton have made signing a full-back a top priority in January's transfer window, as regular left-back Estupinhonan has only recently recovered from injury. Balco has made 23 appearances for Boca and is expected to sign a four-and-a-half-year contract with the club at Brighton, with the option to extend for a further year.
The report said that Manchester City had previously expressed interest in Balco, and his release fee will rise from $10 million to $14 million this week. However, Brighton's successful signings in South America, such as Moises Caicedo, set a record fee for Chelsea to sign him, helped him sign Balco. Brighton's deal to sign Balko shows their ambition to strengthen their squad. The versatile nature of the Argentine teenager will provide more options and depth for head coach Roberto De Zerbi. Brighton fans will be eager to await Balco's arrival in the hope that he can make an immediate contribution to the team.