- Baleba has been signed on a five-year contract
- He joined Lille straight from an Academy in Cameroon
- He has been signed to fill the void left by Moises Caicedo
English Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion have signed Cameroonian teenager Carlos Baleba on a five year contract from French side Lille.
Baleba has been picked as a replacement for Colombian Moises Caicedo who joined Chelsea for a record fee for Brighton.
Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi is excited at the prospect of landing the 19-year old Baleba, whose first overseas club was Lille after being signed from Cameroon. The coach said, “Carlos is a very good player. He’s very young but a specific player for our style. He will be the future of the club.”
Technical director David Weir added, “We are really happy to be able to bring Carlos to the club. He’s 19 and will need some time to get used to his new surroundings, our culture and the language; he will get all the support he needs to make that transition and we’re looking forward to seeing him in action.”
Baleba is already excited and looking forward to his time with the Seagulls.
“I feel very happy to be a Premier League player for Brighton, it was a big dream for me. I was really happy to meet my new teammates and even though I’m not on the pitch, yet I can see there is a really good atmosphere here,” the Cameroonian said, speaking to the club’s official website.
Caught the eye of scouts in Lille
Baleba made 21 appearances for Lille last season and his performances have caught the eyes of several scouts, with Brighton taking the opportunity to grab him before his market price soars.
“I really liked my last season for Lille. I improved and could show my qualities and abilities as a player. It’s because of that hard work I’m here today.”
“My qualities that can help the team include my ability to drive forward with the ball into space and combining [with my teammates] in small spaces. I’m a box to box midfielder, I can do everything!
Brighton and Hove Albion’s new signing Carlos Baleba at their stadium.
“My objective is to help the team be the best they can and to finish in the best position in the table. Personally, I’m looking forward to scoring my first goal.”
The Cameroonian made the move to Lille in January 2022, having played academy football in his homeland. Having made 13 appearances for Lille’s B team, he made his first-team debut last September as a substitute in a 1-0 win against Lens.
Made Ligue 1 debut in January
His first Ligue 1 start came in January in a goalless draw with Stade Brestois, and he went onto make 19 league appearances during the 2022/23 season. He made a further two appearances this season.
Baleba, whose father is also a former footballer, started playing football at Futur Soccer FC in Douala and then joined École de Football des Brasseries du Cameroun academy centre at the age of 13, where he played until Lille snapped him.
He will hope to follow in the footsteps of some decent African players who have featured for Brighton, including Yves Bissouma of Mali, who has since joined Tottenham Hotspur.
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