Brighton have signed 30 year old defender Leon Balogun from German side Mainz. The experienced Nigerian defender joins the Seagulls to bolster their central defence, with little cover for Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk.
Balogun has 22 caps for his country which includes a short stint in the recent World Cup in Russia where the Nigerians failed to make it out of the group stage. Due to playing in Germany for a couple of years he knows a few of the Brighton players including Pascal Gross, which may help him settle in.
Here’s what Chris Hughton had to say about his new defender:
“Leon will add more depth to our defensive options. I am pleased to get our first piece of business done so early in the summer. He is in the peak years of his career and I am sure he will integrate well into the squad. He also has valuable experience, having played in the Bundesliga, the Europa League and at international level.”
Fantasy Premier League Potential (4.5m)
Balogun has been priced at £4.5m which is fair considering Brighton will potentially be facing another relegation battle again this season. He doesn’t score too many goals from defence, scoring just once in his 52 games for Mainz in the Bundesliga.
Dunk became a decent option for many Fantasy Premier League managers last season with many bonus points and clean sheets. Balogun could follow in his footsteps and be a very decent option depending on whether he will claim a starting place in Hughton’s starting eleven.
Brighton’s first five fixtures are as follows: Watford (A), Manchester United (H), Liverpool (A), Fulham (H) and Southampton (A). These five games are a mixed bag and Brighton will do well to get more than 5 points from this meaning Balogun may be deprived of FPL points.
Written by Harry Clark (@HarryClark67)
