BRIGHTON have identified Lille teenager Carlos Baleba as an unlikely cut-price replacement for £115million Moises Caicedo.
Roberto De Zerbi wants to bring in another defensive midfield player to plug the gap created by Caicedo’s British record move to Chelsea.
And the club’s talent spotters have recommended 19-year-old Baleba as the man to step into the breach.
The Cameroon youth international has only played 20 games for Lille but is already rated as one of the hottest young prospects in French football.
Lille value the box-to-box youngster at £26million but Brighton believe that they can get him for around £20million.