'Create a dynamic' – Fabian Hurzeler prepares radical plan for £23m Brighton ace after pre-season claim

One of the tactical surprises from Brighton’s 1-0 pre-season friendly win at QPR on Saturday was the position of Carlos Baleba.

The 20-year-old midfielder was deployed mainly as a left back at Loftus Road and it’s position head coach Fabian Hurzeler feels suits him well.

Balaba joined Brighton for around £23m last summer and struggled for regular game time under previous boss Roberto De Zerbi.

Competition in central midfield remains fierce at Brighton but left back is perhaps a problem area for the Seagulls as Pervis Estupinan continues his recovery from ankle surgery, while left-sided defender Igor Julio is struggling with an unspecified injury and has not yet featured in pre-season.

Valentin Barco, 20, remains inexperienced at Premier League level and Hurzeler may just prefer the physical attributes of Baleba in that role for the opening set of Premier League matches, which starts at Everton on August 17, swiftly followed by Man United at the Amex and then Arsenal away.

Hurzeler said: “I think he is an option to play there [in defensive positions]. He’s very good. Against the ball, he is very athletic. He has good speed. He’s good in one v one duals and with the ball. He sees the game from defence and can play very good vertical passes. He can create a dynamic from behind and I think he can be an option there."

Hurzeler also gave a fitness update on Barco who featured in both pre-season fixtures in Japan but missed the clash at QPR. “We didn’t want to risk anything with him. He trained yesterday. He felt a little bit, his muscle, but nothing bad. He will be back in training next week.”