Yalcouye’s assured performance shows the post-Baleba era might not be so bad after all

Yalcouye’s assured performance shows the post-Baleba era might not be so bad after all Yalcouye reacts after scoring against Chelsea Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images Brighton & Hove Albion were 3-0 down at Chelsea after 32 minutes when Malick Yalcouye showed the visitors why they hope he can develop into their next midfield goldmine. The 20-year-old won a challenge for the ball with Pedro Neto just inside the Chelsea half, advanced and slipped a pass through to Charalampos Kostoulas who got a shot away. Advertisement Yalcouye then collected the rebound to score with a twisting right-foot volley, which went in off the far post as the ball looped back to him after goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had blocked the shot from Kostoulas. Yalcouye, who became the fourth-youngest African player to score on his first Premier League start, did not celebrate wildly. He ran back towards the halfway line, beckoning his team-mates to ready themselves for the restart to continue an improbable comeback. It was a demonstration of intensity, quality and personality rolled into one. The spirited recovery that had seen Fabian Hurzeler’s side score again in the 63rd minute effectively ended when Cole Palmer scored Chelsea’s fourth goal just after Yalcouye had been substituted 11 minutes later. However, his contribution to a crazy contest was the highlight for Hurzeler’s side from a 4-3 defeat that ended with a Pascal Gross consolation goal in added time. Gross, at the opposite end of his career at the age of 35, and Yalcouye are part of the midfield remix for Hurzeler after the £70million ($95m) sale of Cameroon international Carlos Baleba to Manchester United, which was completed last week. Baleba was bought from French side Lille in August 2023 to replace Moises Caicedo after the Ecuadorian’s £115m move to Chelsea in the same summer transfer window. It is too soon to call Yalcouye — signed from Swedish club IFK Gothenburg for £7.6m in the summer of 2024 — the next Baleba or Caicedo, but his breakthrough performance at Stamford Bridge was an indication of his potential. Hurzeler had just taken over then from Roberto De Zerbi as head coach in that summer two years ago. Yalcouye featured as a substitute in two friendlies during a pre-season tour of Japan before excelling on loan at Sturm Graz during the 2024-25 campaign, making 38 appearances; including eight matches in the league phase of the Champions League. Advertisement Hurzeler told The Athletic in January of that season: “I’m a big, big fan of him. Because I experienced (in Japan) a young player who comes from a different culture, who was not speaking the language perfectly, and understands the game in a really special way.” Yalcouye is a typical Brighton signing. The Mali-born Ivory Coast youth international had only played 11 senior matches as the central cog in Gothenburg’s 4-3-3 system when he was signed. He started out at ASEC Mimosas in Ivory Coast, where he grew up. Legendary former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure also went through Mimosas’ academy before beginning his career in Europe. It did not work out as well for Yalcouye last season in Wales, on loan at Championship side Swansea. He only made 10 starts in the second tier, but a strong showing in pre-season prompted his promotion to the starting line-up at Chelsea on Sunday, with Swedish international Yasin Ayari ruled out by injury. “It was an impressive performance,” Hurzeler told reporters after Sunday’s defeat. “We know since pre-season what he is capable of doing. He is a very young player. He needs to improve his physicality, but he showed personality, stepping into a tough environment and performing well. That shows me what he is capable of doing.” Yalcouye was part of an inventive rejig of the midfield setup by Hurzeler after the late withdrawal of Ayari due to a slight ankle injury sustained in training on Saturday. Yalcouye and Gross pushed forward in support of Kostoulas, with Olivier Boscagli deployed deep in front of the back four. The Frenchman, normally a central defender, had been deputising at left-back for Ferdi Kadioglu; who returned from a minor injury that had ruled him out of successive 4-0 home wins against Aston Villa in the opening league fixture and in the Conference League against Tromso. Advertisement “It was another big change we had to make, but players react to these kind of changes in an impressive way when we try to find solutions,” said Hurzeler. “We wanted to have three midfielders and a clear No 6. I know Boscagli is capable of doing this, because he has played there in the past. “(And) I know Malick (Yalcouye) has this desire to score. He can be very good at attacking the box, but also defending the box. He can run a lot. He was always in the danger zone for Chelsea. It was difficult for them to handle and manage him. That was the idea, to have three clear midfielders to dominate the game in possession. That’s what they showed.” Hurzeler expects Ayari to be available to return for the visit of Leeds United to the Amex Stadium on Saturday. Colombian midfield prospect Matias Orozco has been added to the ranks from Deportivo Cali in his homeland. The 18-year-old completed a £3.5m move on Sunday evening. He is not ready for first-team involvement yet and will be loaned out in Europe, but Yalcouye has emerged into the midfield mix in Brighton’s post-Baleba era. Connections: Sports Edition Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle