Brighton star's agent issues contract warning after Roberto De Zerbi transfer phone call

Julio Enciso is into the final two years of his current Brighton contract and former boss Roberto De Zerbi is understood to have expressed an interest in bringing the 20-year-old attacker to Marseille

Brighton starlet Julio Enciso's agent has warned Albion that his client won't be short of options if they fail to tie up a new contract.

The 20-year-old Paraguay international now has less than two years left to run on his current contract which expires in June 2026.

Brighton had initially hoped to land Enciso on a five-year deal in the summer of 2022 but the forward personally pushed for a four-year contract instead.

And while representative Pedro Aldave has held initial talks with the Seagulls over an extension, it seems an agreement is yet to have been finalised.

Aldave told South American outlet Versus: “In the first season, we already spoke with Brighton. We had several meetings with them, we have a good relationship with the club. It’s more than clear that other clubs will follow Enciso and if there is an opportunity, there will be more than one team that wants to sign him."

Enciso's former boss Roberto De Zerbi is also understood to have failed with an unsuccessful transfer approach this summer following his appointment at Marseille.

The player revealed earlier this month: “He called me when he went to Marseille, he wanted me, but things didn’t work out. He left me with some very good lessons.

“He wanted to get the best out of me, he didn’t give me the No. 10 for nothing. He demanded a lot from me, he challenged me when he had to challenge me, he told me when he wanted me."

Enciso's remarkable progress in the Premier League was halted at the start of last season when he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee during training.

The injury required two operations but the Paraguay international gem is now hoping to turn the corner following a series of stunning goals against Chelsea and Manchester City at the back end of the 2022-23 campaign, having also netted against Arsenal (above). At the time, City had been credited with an interest in Enciso, who represented his country at this summer's Olympic Games.

Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler is still getting to know the highly-rated attacker and the German remarked during pre-season: "He is very young, he has a lot of potential. He is exactly one of those players that fits Brighton, because Brighton are searching for young players with big potential.

"Now it's also up to us to improve him, give him a good environment. I think he needs an environment where he feels comfortable to bring his best potential on the pitch. That is now our job."

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