Brighton could snap up another hot prospect from Chelsea’s academy.

Albion are understood to be leading the race to sign right back Valentino Livramento (pictured above on Chelsea TV), who has rejected a new deal to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge and has just six months left on his contract with the Blues.

However, they will face competition from a host of clubs across Europe including AC Milan, RB Leipzig plus their Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Southampton who had all shown interest in the 18-year-old.

The Seagulls having been keeping tabs on him for some time.

In the last couple of season they would have got to have a closer look at him in the last couple of seasons when he played against their under-23s in the BPL 2.

A deal is not thought to be imminent with the clubs yet to agree a fee for the young England international.

But given that he wants to leave and the connections he has at Albion, they are thought to be one of the frontrunners to secure the services of the highly-rated defender.

Livramento knows Tariq Lamptey as he played with him for Chelsea’s under-23s.

He also knows Albion’s technical director Dan Ashworth, as he was working at the FA as their director of elite development while Livramento was playing for England’s under-age side.

Livramento played with Lamptey in the under-23s in the 2019-20 season with Lamptey at right back and Livramento playing as a right midfielder.

He can also play as a right midfielder and left midfielder.

There are plenty of similarities between Lamptey and Livramento in that they are both very attacking wing-backs.

The first is that they play in the same position in right-back but are more attacking wing-backs, who can contribute in the final third with goals and assists.

The situation with Livramento is almost identical to the one that saw Lamptey join the Seagulls in January 2019.

Both rejected the option to stay at Stamford Bridge in a bid to get regular first-team football elsewhere.

The only differences with Livramento is that he has six more months on his deal and Frank Lampard is not the manager.

The 18-year-old was a regular for the Blues’ under-23s last season He made 26 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and also picked up 10 assists.

Twenty of those appearances came in the BPL 2 as they finished second behind winners Manchester City.

With the Croydon-born youngster playing in 26 of Chelsea’s 30 games in their 2020/-1 campaign, he was their top appearance-maker across all academy competitions this term.

In total he amassed 2,261 minutes last season and played the full 90 minutes in all but five of his 26 appearances.

His performances saw him named as the Blues’ academy player of the year in May.

The award is quite an accolade to receive with Mason Mount, Reece James, Conor Gallagher, Billy Gilmour and former Albion loanee Fikayo Tomori having won it previously.

Livramento was also one of five players academy players in January to be promoted up to senior training ahead of their FA Cup tie against Morecambe.

Frank Lampard who was manager at the time, admitted the defender had real potential.

He has also been capped by England from under-16s to 19s level and has also been called up by England under-20s but has yet to make an appearances.

However, the stiff competition that he would face to get in the first team from James and Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta makes it even more difficult to see him getting a route into the first team.

Nizaar Kinsella, who covers Chelsea for Goal, believes it would be a massive coup for Albion if they can get Livramento.

He told The Argus: “Tino Livramento is one of the finest young talents in Chelsea’s youth system having won the Academy Player of the Year award for 2021.

“He follows in the footsteps of Mason Mount, Reece James, Conor Gallagher, Billy Gilmour and Fikayo Tomori in winning that prize.

“There’s a lot of similarities with Tariq Lamptey’s journey being an attacking right back. As a footballer, he is very different and perhaps even more highly rated at his age than Lamptey was.

“Brighton’s connections through the sporting director Dan Ashworth look to have helped them poach both players from Chelsea’s academy towards the end of their contracts.

“Both players rejected deals with Chelsea because of concerns in their pathway to the first team with the European champions.

“The emergence of Reece James may also be a factor, with him almost being the chosen one to make it after a successful spell under Lampard.

“For me, signing Livramento will prove a coup for Brighton as their has been immense competition for his signature.”