Brighton teenager Julio Enciso is the latest rising star to make headlines for the Seagulls, joining the likes of Evan Ferguson, Kaoru Mitoma and Alexis Mac Allister who have already impressed this season. The 19-year-old Paraguayan joined the club for a reported £9.5m from Libertad Asuncion in the summer and has since made 10 substitute appearances. He has also been capped 10 times by Paraguay, helping his national team reach the quarter-finals of the 2021 Copa America.
Enciso’s first goal for Brighton came on 4 April, coolly sweeping home in a 2-0 Premier League win against Bournemouth. Then, on 15 April, he scored a stunning long-range winner to help his side beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. His manager Roberto de Zerbi praised the goal, but also noted that Enciso needed to improve his mentality in order to understand the importance of the last 10 minutes of a game.
Enciso is coming into form at the perfect time for Brighton, with forward Ferguson now a doubt for next Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United. The Paraguayan forward looked electric against Chelsea, coming on for the injured Joel Veltman in the first half and striking the post from a tight angle shortly after the restart. He then capped off his performance with a memorable long-range winner, showing that he is more than capable of making an impact at the highest level.
Enciso is proving to be an exciting prospect for Brighton, and his recent performances suggest that he could be a key player for the Seagulls in their push towards European qualification. Manager Roberto de Zerbi is right to be critical of his mentality, but Enciso is showing that he has the talent to become a top player in the Premier League.