Sport

The ridiculously cheap striker who could become Brighton’s next sell-on superstar

Published

5 months ago

June 21, 2024

Brighton have been linked with a bid for a rising Spanish star – is he ready to step up to the Premier League?

You never have to wait too long for Brighton & Hove Albion to be linked with another young starlet who’s all set to be plucked from Europe’s lower divisions and coached towards the Seagulls’ first team – and according to reports in Spain, they may have found their next target in the form of Deportivo de la Coruña’s David Mella.

The 19-year-old forward, who has also represented Spain between the Under-17 and Under-19 levels, broke into the second-tier side’s starting line-up this season and impressed, scoring nine goals between the league and Copa del Rey and picking up three assists over the course of 34 games. But is he ready for the Premier League already?

Mella, who is left-footed but equally comfortable playing on either flank, has many of the qualities Brighton love in their wide forwards – he’s quick, has smart feet and the bravery to take his man on and presses hard, often forcing turnovers in dangerous areas. It’s no surprise that Sport Witness have spotted multiple stories in the Spanish press linking Brighton with a bid this summer.

Like many young wingers who burst onto the scene at this stage of their careers, there are question marks over his decision making – he often attempts a killer ball when it isn’t really on or risks trying to dribble past a marker when a simple pass might suffice – but he makes up for that with confidence and bravura. Between his burst of acceleration, willingness to run with the ball and shoot from all angles and (recently) his shock of dyed blonde hair, he immediately calls Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho to mind.

It’s relatively unlikely that Mella would go straight into the first team, especially with players like Kaoru Mitoma coming back from injury next season, but he also looks like the kind of talent that would demand some senior minutes. Watch any highlight reel of his and it’s immediately apparent that his dribbling alone demands the chance to be shown on a bigger stage.

Even better news for Brighton is that Mella wouldn’t even set a club back too much. His current contract with Deportivo includes a release clause set at €4m (£3.4m) which will double at the start of July – but the club have thus far tried and failed to persuade the player to pen a new deal. Small wonder, then, that while reports claim he wants to stay with Depor for now, a move to Sussex is “tempting” the teenager. He’d almost certainly make more money on the south coast of England than in Galicia.

As it stands, this remains rumour and there is no concrete report of a bid being made. Given the deadline essentially imposed by his soon-to-shift release clause, however, one imagines that we’ll find out how much truth there is to the reports very soon.

With players like Mitoma, Facundo Bunonanotte and Simon Adingra, the Seagulls already have some strong options at wide forward but if new manager Fabian Hürzeler wants to persist with the 3-4-3 formation he has favoured so far in his career, then some extra depth across the front three may well be needed – and in Mella, they could add the depth with a player who has a rapid burst of speed, some impressive technique and the chutzpah to take men on and beat them. At worst, he looks like a natural impact sub. At best – if he can figure out his decision-making process and avoid biting off more than he can chew too often – he could have a very high ceiling indeed.