Recruitment process continues to roll
With the imminent onset of the World Cup, fans may now be taking the chance to take in the latest world cup betting offers and assess how the season has gone so far.
Having been in the news a little more than usual, Brighton fans possibly have more to reflect on than most.
It has certainly been a time of change at the Amex of late. Graham Potter’s departure to Chelsea of course grabbed the headlines, but the loss of Dan Ashworth to Newcastle United was also seen as a big blow at the time.
In addition to the immediate impact this upheaval may have on performances on the pitch, many Seagulls fans also questioned the effect upon the recruitment process – an area in which Brighton have been the envy of the league for some time now.
The summer window provided yet more evidence of the club’s eye for value, with the sales of Yves Bissouma to Spurs and Marc Cucurella generating a profit of €59.7m alone.
Most Recent Transfers Point Towards More of the Same
With the Bissouma and Cucurella money now banked and partially spent, we next turned to the list of the most recent transfers, made during the 2021/22 and 22/23 seasons.
The table below shows the list of permanent signings for whom a fee was paid, the price Brighton shelled out, and the current market valuation of each of the players.
Something of a mixed bag at first glance, with seven of the fifteen players listed having increased in value since joining the club, and eight decreasing in value.
As always in the transfer market though, it is the bottom line which matters, and the overall figures suggest that Brighton continue to be ahead of the curve when it comes to transfers.
What is notable is that when Brighton get it wrong, they do so only slightly, but when they get it right the subsequent increase in value can be pretty spectacular.
The above list also appears to have far more upside than downside. Of the eight players to have decreased in value, six were bought for single-figure sums, representing only a potentially limited loss. Those trending upwards however may not yet have reached their ceiling.
The most obvious example perhaps being Moises Caicedo. Already up to a valuation of €38m having emerged as an elite box-to-box midfielder, it should be remembered that Caicedo is only 21 years of age and is about to display his undoubted talent on the biggest stage of all at the World Cup – a good tournament with the world watching, and it would be no surprise to see that valuation head north of €50m.
Similar comments apply to Pervis Estupinan and to a greater extent Kauro Mitoma who surely has the potential to increase from his current valuation of €6m.
