Brighton Set Their Sights on Aston Villa Starlet as January Midfield Overhaul Begins

Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly firmed up their plans to launch a January move for Aston Villa’s highly rated youngster Lamare Bogarde, marking a decisive step in their long-term midfield rebuild.

With Premier League giants Manchester United and Bayern Munich circling around Brighton’s rising star Carlos Baleba, the club are accelerating succession planning—even though they do not intend to sell the Cameroon midfielder mid-season.

Regardless of whether Baleba leaves in the summer, Brighton appear determined to bring in his heir sooner rather than later.

A report from Football Insider claims that Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler and his recruitment team view Bogarde as a “big talent” capable of becoming a regular Premier League performer.

As a result, the Seagulls are preparing to push hard for a winter deal.

The complication? It remains uncertain whether Aston Villa will even consider letting the 21-year-old go.

Villa are still fighting on multiple fronts—including in Europe—and selling Bogarde mid-campaign could be seen as strengthening a direct competitor for European qualification.

However, Brighton will take encouragement from Villa’s financial situation.

With Unai Emery’s side reportedly needing to sell before they buy in January to stay within PSR limits, Bogarde is thought to be one of the more “attractive” players to move on.

As a product of Villa’s youth setup, any fee received would be pure profit on the balance sheet—something that could tip the scales in Brighton’s favour.

Despite logging only 322 Premier League minutes** this season, Bogarde’s value remains strong, thanks in part to his versatility.

Comfortable as both a midfielder and a defender, he fits perfectly with Brighton’s desire for adaptable, system-fluid players capable of performing multiple roles.

Whether Brighton submit an official bid next month—or decide instead to wait until Baleba’s future becomes clearer—remains to be seen.

What is clear, however, is that Bogarde has emerged as a top target as the Seagulls prepare for another smart, forward-thinking transfer window.