Enciso Loan Signing Confirmed Thursday, 23rd Jan 2025 11:04 Town have confirmed the loan signing of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Paraguayan international forward Julio Enciso.
Enciso, who celebrates his 21st birthday today, was first mentioned as a target of the Blues and Leicester by media in his home country last week when TWTD confirmed he had been a player Town had eyed in the previous couple of windows. News that he was set to sign emerged from Paraguay on Tuesday evening.
According to reports in Italy and Paraguay, Valencia, Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund all showed interest in taking Enciso on loan, while it’s claimed Manchester United made an approach to Brighton after the deal had been done with the Blues, eyeing the Caaguazu-born attacker as a potential replacement for Alejandro Garnacho, who is expected to depart Old Trafford.
“I am so happy to be here,” Enciso told TownTV. “The conversations with the manager have been good. I am very grateful to him and the club for believing in me. I can’t wait to get going. I’m a real fighter and I will do my best in every game.”
The new recruit, Town’s third of the window, will join up with his new teammates in the days to come and may be involved at Liverpool on Saturday.
Enciso, who is 5ft 8in tall, joined Brighton from Club Libertad in his home country for £9 million in 2022.
He has made 22 starts for the Seagulls - 14 in the Premier League - and 33 sub appearances, scoring five goals.
One of those goals was a superb strike against Manchester City in May 2023 which sealed Brighton’s place in the Europa League and was selected as both the Match of the Day and Premier League Goal of the Season for the 2022/23 campaign, and was also nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award.
Capped 23 times by Paraguay, scoring twice, Enciso is contracted to Albion until the summer of 2026.
As he is 21, the club’s first ever Paraguayan international doesn’t count towards the 25-man Premier League squad, which has to be resubmitted shortly after the transfer window closes. The Blues are understood to be covering his wages in full.
Town and the Seagulls did January loan business for a South American attacker last year, Ecuadorian international Jeremy Sarmiento coming in and playing a big part in the promotion to the Premier League and creating one of Portman Road’s most memorable moments with his last-gasp winner against Southampton.
The Blues have been after three attacking players in this window, forwards Enciso and Jaden Philogene, who joined from Aston Villa last week, and a number nine, who they now have just under a fortnight to recruit before the Monday 3rd February deadline.
Having added Enciso and Philogene, Blues boss McKenna now has an abundance of options for the roles behind number nines Liam Delap or George Hirst, particularly on the left side.
Whether he might look to move anyone on before the window closes remains to be seen. Nathan Broadhead’s former loan club Sunderland were keen to bring him back to Wearside late in the summer window, while we understand Middlesbrough have more recently been keeping tabs on the Wales international.
Jack Clarke could only return to Sunderland having played for the Blues and Black Cats already this season.
Photo: Matchday Images/ITFC
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ITFC_LOU added 11:08 - Jan 23
HE'S HERE AND HE'S PERFECT |  | |
Woolfenthen added 11:08 - Jan 23
If Broadhead goes out that's absolutely shocking |  | |
ruds added 11:08 - Jan 23
Just the right tonic at the right time! Ashton loves a transfer window!!! COYB |  | |
bringmeaKuqi added 11:13 - Jan 23
Loaning J Clarke makes more sense than loaning or selling Broadhead. Broadhead is much closer to Prem level than Clarke at the moment. I would move Burns out on loan before either, though. Personally, I would unregister Ogbonne, loan Burns, Al-Hamadi, and H Clarke, sell Edmundson to Boro. I think that reduces the numbers enough to keep J Clarke in the squad where he can continue to develop with KM. He's a project for next season really. Moving him out I don't think would do much good at the moment |  | |
Bluewhiteboy added 11:15 - Jan 23
Huge signing. Please let that be the end of excuses. Clubs been backed beyond expectations for last few seasons. If we don't stay up it's very poor |  | |
Bluewhiteboy added 11:16 - Jan 23
If he's u21 and doesn't count towards totals why should we get rid of anyone. Need as many as possible |  | |
Orraman added 11:17 - Jan 23
If the reports concerning the interest of other major clubs both here and abroad are accurate we do appear to have made a coup in securing the loan of Enciso. It has also been mentioned in reports that he feels unwanted by Brighton manager so if we continue in PL next season and he fits in well here a permanent move may well be achieved. I get the impression that our wonderful manager has once again been a major factor in securing this deal. What a reputation Kieran is gaining throughout the game - we are so fortunate to have him |  | |
Wussinwhiteboots added 11:24 - Jan 23
Two Puskas award nominees signed up in the same window. Hope both play with youthful exuberance, nutmegs and Rabonas abound. ( MM would be going apoplectic ) |  | |
Stato added 11:28 - Jan 23
Would of preferred a replacement for Morsy rather than yet another forward to play behind Delap |  | |
Kitman added 11:30 - Jan 23
My Brighton season ticket holder mate rates Encisco very highly. Should do well for us. |  | |
jong75 added 11:30 - Jan 23
A friend of mine is a Brighton fan, he thinks this fella will be great for us. Uppa Towen. |  | |
prebbs007 added 11:31 - Jan 23
Bluewhiteboy we now have 28 "senior" players and 3 "under age" (Encisco Hutch Delap) who don't count towards the 25 max squad, so we can deregister Ogbene but either way we have to move at least 2 players out or we will be paying them to not play. I suspect a deal will be done for fridge and then AAH, Clarke, Woolf, Burns, Clarke all being considered for loans/exits |  | |
ArnieM added 11:35 - Jan 23
Back o the net!! glad to have him here .... |  | |
Broadbent23 added 11:38 - Jan 23
Welcome Julio to Town if you bring to us the joy that Sarmiento did last season that will do for me. |  | |
TheLoveOfWisdom added 11:40 - Jan 23
Yes Wussinwhiteboots funny we signed 2 Puskas award nominees from the year that Burns should have won it, but didn't even get nominated. |  | |
Cafe_Newman added 11:40 - Jan 23
Very happy to have landed the 5ft 8in tall, Caaguazú-born man. Hoping to see plenty more of those teeth in the coming weeks and months. |  | |
Europablue added 11:41 - Jan 23
Bluewhiteboy If we go down it won't necessarily be poor. What we can say is that KM has been well-backed. We might still add another striker. Wolves still have to get results below their potential for us to stay up, we just have to hope that togetherness beats in-fighting. |  | |
Cakeman added 11:51 - Jan 23
Welcome Julio. I’m sure you will enjoy your time here. PS it’s nice to see someone smile and look genuinely pleased to have signed for us on the welcome photos instead of some of the Victor Meldrew impersonators that have been seen before. |  | |
Len_Brennan added 11:55 - Jan 23
We need 10 forwards for the run in; 4 starters & 4 finishers per match, and then 2 others to help cope with injury or suspension. We have Delap & Hirst as centre forwards, with the club looking for another, and will let Al Hamadi out; so it'll be 3 in total there. Therefore we need 7 forwards for the 3 roles in behind - Hutchinson, Enciso & Philogene are clearly preferred atm, with Szmodics (on return), J Clarke, Broadhead, Chaplin & Burns the other options. I'm assuming that Ogbene will be deregistered. That leave us one over & likely to let one of Clarke, Broadhead, Chaplin or Burns go on loan. I think it's unlikely that we'll let Clarke go, so one of that brilliant old guard that got us up (x2) could be on the move. Maybe Enciso's age means we don't have to, but gametime will be reduced (even time in the match day squad) given the numbers, so they may wish to consider a move at this point. |  | |
timetraveler added 11:59 - Jan 23
Good news re julio but is there any hint as to who we are after as a no. 9 and are we close? |  | |
OliveR16 added 12:00 - Jan 23
Excellent news. Hard to get this level of player in January - the recruitment team have done well. Now for that Kiefer-Moore-equivalent striker loan. |  | |
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