Diego Gomez scores hat-trick including two goal-of-the-season contenders

DIEGO GOMEZ scored two goal-of-the-season contenders for Brighton against Barnsley.

The Paraguayan netted a sensational first-half hat-trick in the Carabao Cup third round.

Gomez's first goal was a cool tap-in before his second was a rocket from the corner of the Barnsley box.

That earned shouts for goal of the season on social media, only for it to be made to look like light work by his third of the night.

The midfielder made the audacious decision to attempt a half volley from all of forty yards.

The former Inter Miami ace, 22, caught the ball perfectly as it powered past Murphy Joseph Mahoney Cooper and into the goal.

Fans were stunned by the effort, with many predicting him to make a big-money move soon.

One posted: "Boehly preparing the £135m bid for him in January."

A second commented: "Todd Boehly's gonna be watching intently..."

A third wrote: "Another Chelsea buy next season."

A fourth said: "£100m+ bid from Chelsea incoming."

Another added: "Chelsea is preparing a bid as we speak."

The West London side have made a habit of snapping up talent from the Seagulls in recent years.

Chelsea have spent big on stars such as Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo.

The club also forked out £20million for manager Graham Potter in September 2022 before sacking him months later.

In the most recent transfer window, Chelsea also signed Facundo Buonanotte and Julio Enciso from Brighton.

Gomez did not finish the game with just the three as he added a fourth for himself in the 68th minute.

He made the move to East Sussex in January as he traded being team-mates with Lionel Messi in Miami for Danny Welbeck and James Milner.

Meanwhile, the Seagulls did not stop scoring after Gomez was subbed off in the 75th minute.

Youngster Harry Howell netted his first professional goal before Yasin Ayari netted to make it 6-0 at Oakwell.