Brighton's 20-year-old has been used sparingly by Roberto De Zerbi, but Premier League stalwarts have taken note
Carlos Baleba after scoring for Brighton against Nottingham Forest(Image credit: Getty Images)
Brighton star Carlos Baleba’s start to life on the south coast has impressed Sebastien Bassong who believes the Cameroonian is at the right club for his development.
Baleba arrived at the Amex Stadium from Lille last summer, and was named the club’s man of the match in a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest last Sunday.
“I didn't know a lot about him at the start of the season, so I kept a close eye on him just to see how he would do in the Premier League,” Bassong told FourFourTwo via Free Bets.
“I like his energy. When you play for Brighton, you’re playing for a good football team.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“They play good and open attacking football. It’s not easy to showcase what you can do when you in arrive in England, but when you have a lot of possession of the ball, it’s easier to show what you’re about.”
The 20-year-old has been used sparingly by Roberto De Zerbi during his first season in English football, earning only nine Premier League starts to date.
Bassong believes that approach will reap dividends in the long run and says time is on the midfielder’s side.
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“He’s a really good player and a very good talent, but I don't think talent is the most important thing when looking at players.
“I value work ethic and how you bounce back in difficult situations much more. But from what I've seen, he’s a great prospect.
“It’s all about consistency; can you do it week-in, week-out? He doesn't play week-in, week out at the moment, but he’s got time and De Zerbi knows what he's doing.
“He's got a great future ahead of him if he can keep his head down and works hard.”
