Lionel Messi loses key Inter Miami teammate as Diego Gomez travels to England to complete Brighton transfer

The 21-year-old Paraguayan midfielder is heading to England after completing the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) season with Miami. According to The Athletic, Brighton have secured Gomez’s services for £11 million, continuing their commitment to nurturing emerging players from South America, a strategy that previously bore fruit with stars like Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.

Gomez is set to officially join Brighton on January 1, 2025, in time for the latter half of the Premier League season. He joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 from Club Libertad in Paraguay. He made 28 appearances for the MLS side in the 2024 season and scored six goals across all competitions. Notably, Gomez was also part of the Miami squad that clinched the 2023 Leagues Cup, the club's maiden major trophy.

Gomez’s international career has been equally impressive. Since his debut in 2022, he has earned nine caps for Paraguay’s senior national team. Earlier this year, he represented Paraguay at the Paris Olympics, captaining the squad through four matches and leading them to the quarter-finals.

The move to Brighton also reunites Gomez with fellow Paraguayan and former Libertad teammate Julio Enciso. He could make his debut as soon as January 4, when Brighton host Arsenal in a high-stakes Premier League clash at the Amex Stadium.