Brighton & Hove Albion's recruitment continues to be among the very best in the Premier League and Chema Andres is the latest gem the Seagulls have unearthered.
Andres starred in an emphatic 3-0 victory over Arsenal today (September 19th), putting in a phenomenal performance in midfield. He made his first Premier League start and did not disappoint as the hosts ran riot at the Amex Stadium.
Pascal Groß continued his incredible run of form, opening the scoring in the 31st minute. Fabian Hurzeler's men didn't shut up shop and chased a second which came in the 45th minute through fellow new signing Charalampos Kostoulas.
Andres made it three in the 57th minute as Brighton handed Arsenal their first defeat of the season. The young Spanish midfielder bossed a Gunners midfield consisting of Declan Rice, Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Odegaard.
Brighton 3-0 Arsenal: All About Andres
Chema Andres joined Brighton from Stuttgart in the summer for £15.5 million following Carlos Baleba's departure to Manchester United. When a young midfielder heads to the Amex, most top-flight fans now expect them to explode and eventually be linked with big six clubs and valued at over £100m.
It's fair to say that the 21-year-old looks to be the latest name to be making the top guns' transfer wishlists in years to come. But that's getting ahead of ourselves as he's only just getting started on the south coast.
Andres' performance today highlights just why Tony Bloom's scouts are regarded as the best in the country. He flourished, taking his goal extremely well while also making nine defensive contributions, five passes into the final third and winning all five of his aerial duels.
A product of Real Madrid's La Fabrica academy, he had been tipped for a bright future during his youth days in Spain. So much so, Tactical Football Analysis claims that he has 'already drawn comparisons to compatriots Sergio Busquets and Rodri in his short career'.
'Baby Rodri' Andres is a Star in the Making
Andres has a long way to go in reaching Rodri's level but he's made a more than promising start to life under Hurzeler. His time in Germany with Stuttgart gave him much-needed game time at senior level and he's now primed to rival the best young midfielders in the Premier League.
Hurzeler responded to the Spaniard being handed the nickname 'Baby Rodri' insisting that, 'he has a long way to go and hopefully he can get there one day.' That is just what you want to hear from your manager, clearly showing his faith in you but also acknowledging that you're still developing.
Andres' mentality is another reason why he looks the real deal, telling reporters after the game that he was 'excited' rather than 'nervous'. For his club's fanbase they will be enthused by his and their team's dominant display against Mikel Arteta's defending champions.
