..Is Brighton considering a Sevilla sensation in January? If so, may he be able to help them with their full-back dilemma.
Brighton & Hove Albion haven’t had the easiest of rides of late – for all the praise justly heaped on Roberto de Zerbi for the strides the Seagulls have taken since he took charge, recent form has plunged and there have been a slew of injuries for the south coast outfit to deal with. Perhaps the worst-hit position has been right-back, where setbacks have seen Pervis Estupiñán and Tariq Lamptey’s spells on the treatment table extended. Brighton, however, may have found a solution.
Juanlu Sánchez has been one of the brighter sparks in a tough season for Sevilla. The Europa League champions are once again flirting dangerously with the relegation zone in La Liga and their Champions League campaign has been derailed – but the newly-minted Spain Under-21 international has impressed, and that has drawn some inevitable attention.
Seville local publications claim that De Zerbi is keeping an eye on the 20-year-old, but is he the right-back reinforcement Brighton needs? With his current season’s performances, the answer may be a loud “yes.”
Sánchez is an all-action full-back who successfully covers every grass blade on the right side. He possesses the physicality to run nonstop, agility in the closing third, and toughness in the tackle—all qualities that the Italian head coach looks for in his full-backs. It fits rather nicely on paper.
He provides a great deal on the ball’s defensive end. His 2.11 blocks per ninety minutes and 4.61 successful tackles per game average are among the highest in Europe. He is the type of defender that seldom makes a mistake, never backs down from a battle, and gets the better of his opponent. Additionally, he possesses the raw speed to match all but the fastest wingers. Although his game reading could be improved—he prefers to go straight to his opponent and seek out a challenge rather than blocking crossing routes, for example—he is skilled enough at what he does to avoid making many mistakes.
He’s also incredibly helpful in the future. He’s a terrific passer and dribbler who creates plenty of opportunities for his team when the ball is at his feet. He’s also quick enough to get into dangerous positions down the wing to receive passes on the overlap. With an average expected assist of 0.4 per game, he’s a very high-scoring player for a player who is supposed to be defensive. He truly does perform a little bit of everything, and he does it quite well. His style of play is really admirable, so it makes sense that Brighton would be thrilled.
..Obvi- have also been identified by other media sources as potential suitors. Despite how beautiful Brighton is, Sussex would be difficult to sell to Real Madrid. Since his current release clause only amounts to €15 million (£12.8 million), he shouldn’t be very costly, even if it will reportedly increase to €25 million (£21.4 million) in January. Sevilla is going to try to hold him down to a new deal and would probably seek every cent of that clause. The player hasn’t shown any desire to depart or if he would be interested in joining the Premier League at this time.
But the truth is, he finds Brighton to be quite logical. He is a perfect fit for De Zerbi’s 100 mph pressing style, has the passing ability to move the ball around the defense while under pressure—a crucial aspect of the Seagulls’ style of play—and the quickness and skill to get the ball forward down the flank and aid in his team’s swift and dangerous break. Given Brighton’s previous history of nurturing talent, it appears like the team might maximize Sánchez’s untapped potential, which he appears to possess in plenty.
The young player is new to senior football, so it’s possible that he won’t be able to maintain the high standards of play he’s displayed thus far. Still, based on what we’ve seen, he seems like a wonderful match for Brighton and a deserving transfer target for a side that needs a little shake to get back on track. They might not be as concerned about all those injuries after all if they can win this one in January.
