Aston Villa have set their sights on 16-year-old Luis Fragoso, including him in their list of transfer targets as they begin discussions over a potential move from Emelec. Brighton are also interested in the talented Ecuadorian.
Fragoso is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in his generation in Ecuador. He came through the Emelec academy and made his first-team debut in April 2025, becoming the youngest player in the history of the local Liga Pro at just 15 years and 20 days old.
Since then, he has played 40 matches for the club, contributing six goal involvements — one goal and five assists. Primarily operating on the left flank, Fragoso is capable of filling several attacking roles.
Interest from English clubs has surged following his performances for Ecuador's youth teams. Fragoso debuted for the U15 national side in September 2025 before moving up to the U17s, where he played in the South American Youth Championship.
According to journalist Nicolas Ayala, Aston Villa have already reached out to explore the terms under which a transfer might be negotiated.
While a specific price has yet to be disclosed, Transfermarkt values the player at €3 million, a rise of €2.5 million since June.
Even if an agreement is reached soon, Fragoso won't be making a move to England just yet, as he won't turn 18 until April 2028. This means any transfer could only take place in the summer of that year.
Brighton have been monitoring the young talent for a while, and with increased interest from other European clubs, Emelec may raise their demands regarding the transfer fee.
