The £55m starting XI pushing Brighton to the Champions League
If the rest of the Premier League is not already, then they should all be taking lessons from Brighton. Another amazing display from Roberto De Zerbi’s players saw them to a 3-0 win at Bournemouth.
The Seagulls sit in sixth place, unbeaten in seven, chasing Champions League football, in an FA Cup semi final and with a starting XI which cost just £55 million. Around half of what Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez.
You cannot be a football fan watching the Premier League and not be impressed by Brighton. A constant upwards trajectory and huge development of players which places them above both the Blues of Stamford Bridge and Liverpool at this time.
Going to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth was difficult. The Cherries had two wins from three games and are burning and giving everything they have to stay up.
Brighton did not care for that. Evan Ferguson opened the scoring with a stunning back heel for his fourth Premier League goal of the season. The Paraguay international Julio Enciso made it 2-0 in stoppage time.
Enciso is 19. Ferguson has only just come of age, as we say in Greece, turning 18. Both scorers add up to a footballer who is 37, but not yet retired. Like Bruno Saltor, who played until he was 38 for Brighton and is now managing Chelsea.
Understanding how big the Seagulls’ achievements this season are is easy when you look at the cost of the team who lined up against Bournemouth.
Between the posts, Jason Steele. A shutout at the Vitality, an assist recorded in the 3-3 draw with Brentford, acquired as a free agent.
Right back Joel Veltman was £900,000 and Pervis Estupinan on the left £15 million. Lewis Dunk is a product of the academy and Adam Webster the most expensive player in the XI at £20 million.
In midfield, Pascal Gross cost £3 million, Alexis Mac Allister £7 and Moises Caicedo £4 million for a total of under £15 million.
Let us remember that Mac Allister and Caicedo in particular are worth much more now; in Caicedo, Brighton rejected £70 million from Arsenal and he subsequently renewed his contract.
As for the attacking trio, here we meet Kaoru Mitoma, Solly March and Ferguson. The Japanese man Mitoma is incredible, the first from his country to score seven Premier League goals in one season.
How much was he acquired for? Just £2.7 million. March is like Dunk free of fee from the academy. Ferguson came from Ireland for £600,000 rumoured on Transfermarkt.
Do the necessary adding up and you will see Brighton and Tony Bloom spent around £55 million. And they are the sixth best team in the Premier League. And two games from winning the FA Cup. And maybe even heading for the Champions League.
The rest should take their lessons from Brighton.
Dimitris Manakos @dimitris_manakos / England365.gr
