By OkayGoal
Brighton have made their first move for Daniel Arcila, a 24-year-old Colombian attacking midfielder whose 11 goals for Club León this year have got him noticed well beyond Mexico.
Brighton have made initial contact to find out more about his situation. It is an enquiry rather than a bid, and they are not alone: Brazilian side Botafogo are also interested.
Neither club has gone as far as making an offer yet, so this is very much the first step. But it is the kind of first step the Seagulls have taken many times before.
Who is Daniel Arcila?
Arcila came through the ranks at Envigado in Colombia before joining León in 2025. He plays as an attacking midfielder, and his form has also earned him a first call-up to Colombia’s senior national team, which rounds off a big year for him.
According to Colombian journalist Juan Camilo Ruiz, Brighton have made an initial approach for the midfielder, whose contract with León runs until June 2028. Botafogo were named as an interested club as well when the story was picked up in Brazil on Wednesday.
Are the numbers good enough for the Premier League?
Across his two Liga MX campaigns with León, Arcila has given scouts plenty to look at:
| Season | Apps | Minutes | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 20 | 1,080 | 7 | 1 |
| 2026/27 | 14 | 1,006 | 4 | 1 |
| Total | 34 | 2,086 | 11 | 2 |
That is 13 goal contributions in 34 appearances, from just over 2,000 minutes. Put another way, he is scoring roughly once every 190 minutes, which is a healthy return for a player who isn’t a centre-forward.
It is worth keeping the level in mind. Liga MX output doesn’t always carry straight over to England, and Brighton will want to know whether those goals come from his movement and finishing or from penalties and set plays before taking this any further.
How much would Arcila cost?
Transfermarkt values him at €1.5m (£1.25m), although that is only an estimate. León haven’t set an asking price, and with his contract running until June 2028 they are under no pressure to sell cheaply.
Even so, a player at that sort of valuation fits the way Brighton & Hove Albion like to work. They have a long record of looking to South America for talent and identifying players before they become bigger names in Europe.
The recruitment team have been busy this autumn. They have already asked about Lazio’s Dutch midfielder Kenneth Taylor, and they have been watching an 18-year-old Estoril defender as well, so Arcila is one name on a long list rather than a sign that a deal is close.
Verdict: Arcila is a low-risk Brighton gamble worth following
Arcila is a little older than some of Brighton’s previous discoveries, and that matters. At 24 the resale value is not quite what it is for a teenager, so they need him to be ready to play rather than a long-term project.
His recent numbers suggest he is finding his feet at senior level, though, and a first Colombia call-up tells you people back home think the same. With a Europa League campaign on top of the league, as the recent trip to Getafe showed, another creative option would not hurt.
For now, there is no indication that Brighton or Botafogo have moved beyond the enquiry stage. The next thing to watch is whether the Seagulls follow up that first contact with a concrete offer before January.