Brighton open talks to sign next Thiago Silva in £25m deal over Real Madrid

Looking to repeat their transfer genius of the past, Brighton & Hove Albion have now reportedly opened talks to sign another South American youngster ahead of European giants Real Madrid.

Brighton transfer news

As arguably one of, if not the best, ran club in the Premier League, Brighton relish the transfer window and they could yet prove exactly why once again this month. For any side looking to become an established top flight side, those at The Amex have created the blueprint to follow by creating stars, selling them for huge profit and then welcoming replacements capable of enjoying a similar rise.

As a result, they once again find themselves on course for a top half finish in what would be a fantastic first season under Fabian Hurzeler – the youngest manager in Premier League history at just 31 years old.

Now, having previously welcomed Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo and Julio Enciso, the Seagulls look set to make a return to the South American market to land another young star.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Brighton have opened talks to sign Vitor Reis from Palmeiras in a deal that could cost as much as £25m. Despite interest from Real Madrid, Arsenal and Chelsea, the Sussex side look set to act early enough to secure another impressive coup.

Related

Sky Sports: Brighton could move to sign “excellent” defender this month

Fabian Hürzeler is keen to strengthen his defence this winter.

Just 18 years old, Reis could yet prove to be an Enciso repeat, given that the midfielder also arrived at a young age and from his home country of Paraguay in the summer of 2022.

A central defender rather than a midfielder on this occasion, Brighton may have found their eventual replacement for ageing captain Lewis Dunk for years to come.

Brighton can land “heir to Thiago Silva” in Reis

At just 18 years old, Reis has found himself at the centre of some impressive praise, including from Ben Mattinson. The analyst even went as far as claiming that the defender is “Brazil’s heir to Thiago Silva” before describing his aerial ability as “strong” and dubbing the teenager a player with “ice-cold composure” back in October.

Real Madrid’s interest should paint quite the picture of just how highly Reis is rated across European football and, therefore, the significance of Brighton’s potential January swoop.

For the young central defender himself, meanwhile, Brighton represents an intelligent move. It’s a move that Mac Allister made – a player on course to become a Premier League champion at Liverpool these days.

It’s also a move that Caicedo completed before becoming one of the most expensive midfielders in football history by joining Chelsea in 2023. Now, it’s a path that Reis could follow to become the latest young South American to sign on the dotted line at The Amex.