Former Blues loanee Julio Enciso is set to undergo knee surgery, scuppering the Paraguayan’s expected move out of Brighton this summer.
The 21-year-old, who spent the second half of 2024/25 with Town, had been expected to leave the Seagulls on either a permanent or loan basis as he isn’t in manager Fabian Hurzeler’s plans for the campaign ahead, but he will now be sidelined for around three months.
Enciso missed almost a month of football during his time at Portman Road after suffering an injury to his left knee at Aston Villa, the same knee which now requires surgery and on which he has previously had two ops. A return to the Blues this summer wasn’t on the cards.
Town have, however, been linked with two other Brighton players, 19-year-old midfielder Malick Yalcouye, who is the subject of loan offers from Bundesliga sides Hoffenheim and Freiburg, and striker Evan Ferguson.
Republic of Ireland international Ferguson is a player Blues boss Kieran McKenna has liked for a while but the 20-year-old looks set to join AS Roma on loan with Fiorentina also believed to be keen along with AFC Bournemouth, while Town are also said to have shown interest.
Elsewhere, ex-Blues forward Byron Lawrence, the club’s second youngest first-team player when he made his debut aged 16 years and 47 days on the final day of 2011/12, has joined Mildenhall Town having been with Ipswich Wanderers last season.