From Lionel Messi to Kaoru Mitoma – Brighton have struck gold with ‘new N’Golo Kante’

Brighton may have unearthed another gem, this time their impressive recruitment net has brought in Diego Gomez.

Although not yet officially announced, the £11m ($14m) deal with Inter Miami was completed in the summer and with the MLS season over, 21-year-old Gomez will head to the south coast of Great Britain in January.

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It proved to be a disappointing end for David Beckham-owned Inter Miami as they surprisingly went down to Atlanta United in the first round of the MLS playoffs. But for Gomez on a personal level, it’s been a year of discovery and progress.

When a 20-year-old Gomez left his native Paraguay to join Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, he got to play alongside one of his footballing idols: Lionel Messi.

What surprised him most was not Messi’s obvious ability but his personality off the pitch, with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner taking the time to ask Gomez about his family life and how installed in his new home.

Just over a year later, it’s clear that Messi and his team have helped Gomez handle the big move, with the midfielder hitting the ground running and turning in such an impressive debut MLS campaign that his time in the US is now coming to an end . .

An even bigger move is coming, this time to Premier League with Brighton, but the success of his previous stay away from home will leave the adaptable Gomez confident he can be the latest in a long line of relatively unknown talents to succeed on the south coast.

So who is Gomez and what could he bring to the Seagulls?

Starting his career with Paraguayan side Libertad in 2022, Gomez progressed through the youth ranks before making 51 appearances for the senior side, winning two league titles in the process. His six goals and four assists convinced Miami to make the move on the rising starlet, and he quickly repaid their faith.

He has made 22 MLS appearances this season, scoring three times, and has only been denied other tallies by an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for nearly two months.

However, it is on the international stage where Gomez has shone even brighter. With 11 caps already to his name, Gomez leads a talented young group with Paraguayan potential.

After making his senior debut at the age of 19, Gomez captained Paraguay’s U23 team at the 2024 South American Pre-Olympic Tournament, which was designed to determine qualification for last summer’s Paris games.

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Gomez’s nation finished second in their group behind Argentina, advancing to a secondary group stage with the best four teams remaining.

Gomez scored twice in their three matches, which included a memorable 1-0 win against Brazil and a 3-3 draw with Argentina. Victory in the final match against Venezuela saw Paraguay crowned champions while earning their place at the Olympics.

This was only the third time they have qualified in their country’s history and provided concrete evidence of the new wave of Paraguayan football led by their U23 captain and tournament top scorer Diego Gomez.

The ascendancy didn’t stop there.

Gomez’s continued impressive form for both club and country has earned him a place in Paraguay’s senior squad for September’s World Cup qualifiers against two of South America’s giants – Uruguay and Brazil.

It was an opportunity for both Gomez and the young core of this rebuilt national team to show that their Olympic success was a sign of things to come rather than a fluke, and they did not disappoint.

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Gomez, in particular, has shown multiple sides to his game. Against Uruguay, Gomez anchored the midfield in a more defensively focused role as Paraguay fought back impressively to a 0-0 draw away to Uruguay.

Four days later, they went one further, beating Brazil 1-0 thanks to a stunning strike from Gomez. With 20 minutes on the clock, the ball fell to Gomez outside the box from a Paraguayan corner. Taking a touch to control it, Gomez moved the ball to his left before clearing an effort with the outside of his boot off the post and into the back of the net.

If Gomez needed a moment to come out to the big world, this was it. A huge goal against huge opposition and done in serious style.

The MLS playoffs proved disappointing for Gomez as he started all three games in Inter Miami’s failed mini-series against Atlanta. However, his impact had already been felt, winning the league’s best under-22 player award.

Meanwhile, on the international stage, he continues to thrive. Just last week, Gomez registered an assist as Paraguay defeated another continental giant, this time beating Argentina 2-1.

A combative midfielder, Gomez has often been praised for his tenacious pressing, while his proven eye for goal makes him a unique threat, running with the ball from deep areas and breaking to the edge of the box.

He has been compared to both Chelsea hero N’golo Kante and teammate Sergio Busquets, further underscoring his complete skill set and ability to excel on both sides of the ball.

Injuries have been the only real question mark for Gomez and if Brighton complete the signing as expected, Paraguayan football expert Raphael Hannah believes the Seagulls will get a bargain.

“Is he worth $30 million? It might be because of his unique characteristics and his ability to play in a high pressing side,” said Hannah. TransferMarkt.

“Former coaches and teammates say Diego Gómez is painfully quiet off the pitch but leads by example on the pitch.

“An attacking midfielder in the style of a No. 8, he can win the ball up high to create chances for himself and others. A true all-rounder, in his last season at Libertad, he led the league in shooting, dribbling and carrying the ball from central midfield. The question mark is his fitness and whether he can sustain his intense style at the top.”

While the intensity of the Premier League will undoubtedly take some getting used to, Gomez has repeatedly shown his ability to adapt and thrive in new situations. Brighton may have found another hidden gem.