Diego Gomez has not needed a perfect World Cup to become one of Brighton’s most intriguing summer assets. The more important signal sits away from the match reports: CIES Football Observatory’s latest valuation work has placed the Paraguay international at EUR82.3million, a number that changes the way Brighton should frame his next season.
The figure, published in CIES’ ranking of the world’s highest estimated transfer values, is not a transfer bid and should not be treated as one. It is still a loud market indicator. For a 23-year-old under long contract, playing Premier League minutes and carrying international visibility, Gomez now sits in the category Brighton usually exploit before the rest of the market catches up.
That is why Fabian Hurzeler’s midfield decision is no longer just tactical. It is also asset management.
Three points for Diego and @Albirroja as they look towards the final 32 of the #FIFAWorldCup.
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) June 20, 2026
Why The Valuation Matters
Brighton’s own analytics department has already explained why Gomez is difficult to box off. In March, the club noted that he had reached 50 Albion appearances, scored 11 times, and ranked fifth for Brighton’s 2025/26 league minutes at that stage. The same club analysis highlighted his variety of roles, from central areas to wider attacking lanes.
That versatility is valuable, but it can also blur development. Gomez has been used as a problem-solver: a runner, a presser, a wide stop-gap, a midfielder who can arrive late, and an emergency attacking outlet. Brighton have benefited from that flexibility. The risk is that a player valued partly because of age, contract length and elite-league exposure becomes harder to develop if his best role remains undefined.
FotMob’s season profile underlines the split. Gomez logged 2,136 Premier League minutes in 2025/26, with five goals, one assist and a 6.91 average rating. His defensive contribution profile is strikingly high for an attacking midfielder or winger, while his chance-creation output is more modest. That points towards a player whose best Brighton future may be as an aggressive No 8, not a permanent wide forward.
Hurzeler Must Decide Where Gomez Lives
The obvious temptation is to keep using Gomez everywhere. Brighton’s European calendar, domestic cup load and World Cup recovery window will make that attractive. Yet the CIES number should sharpen the internal conversation: when a player carries that level of estimated value, the club have to maximise his strongest lane, not merely cover short-term gaps.
There is a recruitment implication, too. Brighton have already been linked with midfield and defensive reshaping across a busy window. If Gomez is viewed as a core central player, the club need width and final-third specialists around him. If he is viewed as a hybrid attacker, Hurzeler needs a cleaner midfield platform behind him.
The recent World Cup penalty talking point showed the emotional side of his summer. This valuation angle is colder, and more important. Brighton have an asset whose public market perception is rising even while some performances remain uneven.
Brighton’s Smartest Move Is Patience With Structure
There is no urgency to sell. Gomez’s contract runs deep enough for Brighton to control the conversation, and the club’s recruitment model is at its best when it creates leverage rather than reacts to noise.
The real decision is whether Hurzeler builds more of the midfield around Gomez’s running power and duel work. If Brighton give him a defined central role, his value becomes more than a spreadsheet projection. It becomes a sporting weapon.
That is the key sporting balance. Brighton can appreciate the market number without letting it rush the football plan. Gomez still needs cleaner automatisms around him, especially when he receives under pressure and when the team asks him to break forward after regains.
For now, the CIES valuation should be read as a warning to the rest of the Premier League: Brighton may already have their next major midfield asset. The next step is making sure he looks like one every week.
