Franca seems a really odd one. From YouTube clips there's a lot to get excited about with his strength, speed and skill, but his senior career is only about as long as a YouTube clip (only 1,000 minutes of senior football). Of course if he had already fulfilled on his potential we would have no chance of getting him, but that also concerns me that if he really is that good why aren't one of the big La Liga clubs or top PL clubs bidding? Also, how is he going to adapt to his new environment, the climate and the fact there are no Brazilian or Portuguese players at the club.

Having said all that if he does sign I'll still be excited like a kid at Christmas.

We are either going to buy established players who are not top class e.g. Che Adams or we have to look for rough diamonds who may not make it.

It's a gamble and we don't have a good track record of bringing in unknown foreign players still here's hoping.

One more point

I wouldn't say he's looking silly, it's the ones thanking him and asking him for more news. He's just sitting at home having a laugh at everyone.

He's not exactly a cheap rough diamond though, if the deal is indeed around the 20m mark. That's around what we paid for Eze and Guehi who had more games behind them to suggest they could step up. Franca seems a much bigger gamble. Of course if he lives up to the comparisons with greats like Kaka then it's the bargain of the century. If he does sign then I think we will have to be very patient, but with Olise out he may have more of a chance of getting some time on the pitch before Roy retires again.

The problem is identifying the clickbait from the real interest. There have been a number of reports asserting that Textor is very keen on Franca. Recent Clickbait is saying that Chelsea are also interested in him and have purportedly met his agent in London. The Athletic have picked up on both.

As to the striker issue, might we be daring enough to buy a player like Franca, sell Mateta and play with a fluid attacking midfield cohort with Wilf (if he re-signs) or Edouard (if Wilf doesn't re-sign) as a false 9 (Let's face it Edouard as been playing as a pretend no. 9 for most of his time with us)?

As for the RB rumours, I see them just as that. The clickbaiters have to keep inventing stories so as to keep the advertisers on board.

With this Franca, story, Textor, is almost certainly the reason for the media, interest, that’s not to say it couldn’t happen, this is football after all.
Brighton, seem to slip these lads out of S, America, future World Cup winners and what have you, no one takes any notice , that is until they sell them a few years on for multi millions.