Brighton & Hove Albion are close to finalising the signing of Lille midfielder Carlos Baleba after the two clubs finally reached an agreement, sources have confirmed to 90min.
The 19-year-old will not be featuring for the former Ligue 1 winners against Lorient on Sunday as he travels to England for a medical slated to take place the following day.
90min revealed Brighton's interest in Baleba earlier this year and they have decided that he is the player they want to replace Moises Caicedo, who joined Chelsea earlier this month in a British-record £115m deal.
Brighton have been locked in talks with Lille for over a week, with a deal now set to be finalised around the €30m (£25.7m) mark after specific payment details were ironed out.
Baleba has already already personal terms with Brighton over a five-year contract that includes the option for another 12 months, and he'll now undergo medical tests to ensure there's no underlying injury problems for the Seagulls to be concerned about.
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The Cameroon-born midfielder enjoyed an outstanding season in Ligue 1 last season after replacing Amadou Onana, who joined Everton, playing a prominent role in central midfield.
There had been widespread interest in Baleba's services, with a number of Premier League clubs scouting him over the past six months, but Brighton have won the race for his coveted signature.
News of his imminent arrival ws will be welcomed by Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, who previously said about the need to directly replace Caicedo: “We need another midfielder with the same characteristics [as Caicedo], the same importance. In the Premier League, in midfield positions, sometimes you need strength, more impact."
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This article was originally published on 90min as Brighton to confirm signing of Moises Caicedo replacement .
