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Brighton may have unearthed another gem, this time their impressive web of recruitment has landed Diego Gomez. While not officially announced yet, the £11million ($14m) deal with Inter Miami was reportedly struck in the summer and with the MLS season complete, 21-year-old Gomez will be heading to Britain's south coast in January. It proved to be a disappointing ending for David Beckham-owned Inter Miami, as they surprisingly went out to Atlanta United in the first round of the MLS playoffs. But for Gomez on a personal level, it was a year of breakthrough and progress. When a 20-year-old Gomez left his native Paraguay to join Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, he arrived to play alongside one of his footballing idols: Lionel Messi. The thing that 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 he was settling into his new home. Just over a year later, it’s clear Messi and his team helped Gomez get to grips with the big move, the midfielder hitting the ground running and putting in such an impressive maiden MLS campaign that his time in the U. S. is now coming to an early end. Up next is an even bigger move, this time to the Premier League with Brighton but the success of his previous sojourn away from home will leave the adaptable Gomez confident that he can be the latest in the long line of relatively unknown talent 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 raced through the youth ranks before making 51 appearances for the senior team, winning two league titles in the process. His six goals and four assists convinced Miami to take the plunge on the emerging starlet and he quickly repaid their faith. This season he made 22 MLS appearances, scoring three times and only denied further numbers due to an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for almost two months. However, it’s on the international stage where Gomez has shined even brighter. With 11 caps already to his name, Gomez is leading a talented young group of Paraguayan potential. After making his senior debut at the age of 19, Gomez captained the Paraguayan U23 team in the 2024 South American Pre-Olympic Tournament which was designed to determine qualification for last summer’s Paris games. Gomez’s nation finished second in their group behind only Argentina, advancing to a secondary group stage of the best remaining four teams. Gomez scored twice in their three games which included a memorable 1-0 victory against Brazil and a 3-3 draw with Argentina. Victory in their final match against Venezuela saw Paraguay crowned champions while earning their place in the Olympics. This was only their third time qualifying in their country’s history and provided concrete evidence of the new wave of Paraguayan football, led by their U23s captain and the tournament’s top scorer, Diego Gomez. The ascendancy didn’t stop there. Gomez’s continued impressive form for both club and country earned him a place in Paraguay’s senior team 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 nucleus 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. Gomez, in particular, displayed multiple sides to his game. Against Uruguay, Gomez anchored the midfield in a more defensive focused role as Paraguay impressively battled to a 0-0 draw away from home in 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 Paraguay corner. Taking a touch to control it, Gomez shifted the ball to his left before firing an outside of the boot effort off the post and into the back of the net. If Gomez needed a coming out moment for the greater world, then 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 matches of Inter Miami’s failed mini-series against Atlanta. However, his impact had already been felt, winning the league’s award for best player under the age of 22. Meanwhile, on the international stage, he continues to thrive. Just last week, Gomez recorded an assist as Paraguay defeated another of the continent’s giants, this time beating Argentina 2-1. A combative midfielder, Gomez has frequently been lauded for his tenacious pressing while his demonstrated 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 N’golo Kante, the Chelsea hero, and teammate Sergio Busquets, further emphasizing his well-rounded skill set and ability to excel on both sides of the ball. Injuries have been the only real question mark for Gomez and should Brighton complete the signing as expected, Paraguayan football expert Raphael Hannah believes the Seagulls will be getting a bargain. “Is he worth $30m? He might be because of his unique characteristics and ability to play on a high-pressing side, ” Hannah told Transfer Markt. “Former coaches and teammates say Diego Gómez is painfully quiet off the pitch, but he leads by example on the field. “An attacking midfielder in the style of a no. 8 he can win the ball high up to create chances both for himself and others. A true all-rounder, in his final season at Libertad, he led the league in shots, dribbles, and ball-carrying from central midfield. The question mark is over his fitness and whether he could sustain his intense style at the very top. " While the intensity of the Premier League will no doubt take some time to get used to, Gomez has repeatedly displayed his ability to adapt and thrive in new situations. Perhaps Brighton have found another hidden gem. © 2024 talk SPORT Limited
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