The Albion’s solid foundations are reason to be cheerful
Brighton signing Pervis Estupinan from Villareal looks a good piece of business. The Ecuadorean left-back joins compatriots Jeremy Sarmiento and Moises Caicedo on the south coast, providing further South American verve.
Replacing Marc Cucurella might have seemed like a nigh-on impossible task, but the Albion’s recent recruitment has been top-notch.
Fans will be hoping that between Estupinan and Levi Colwill, the left side of Brighton’s defence will be suitably covered. And it is this policy of studious and well-researched scouting that fills me with hope for the future.
Of course, occasionally a Jurgen Locadia or a Florin Andone might slip through the net, but players like Yves Bissouma, Adam Webster, Tariq Lamptey, Moises Caicedo, Joel Veltman, and the aforementioned Cucurella (among others) display a solid (and profitable) hit rate.
All this without even mentioning Jeremy Sarmiento – who many on the South coast are rightly excited about – and the potential of players like Kaoru Mitoma, Julio Enciso and Deniz Undav.
Mitoma’s introduction against Newcastle at the weekend showed that the Japanese wide man may very well cause lots of excitement at the Amex this season.
In making these solid signings, however, Brighton also have to contend with near-constant badgering from so-called “top clubs”.
Manchester City and Chelsea interest in Cucurella followed by that drawn-out transfer saga was hardly surprising. Now Moises Caicedo is linked with Manchester United.
Unearthing gems such as these is a feather in the cap of Brighton’s excellent scouting network. Making sizeable profits from their sales is an understandable and necessary part of the business model of a club of Brighton’s size.
United fans must be looking on with envy at how well-run Brighton is. Their club could have signed Caicedo for £5 million in January 2021. If they now want him, they are going to have to pay 10, 12, 14 times that.
Albion players will be constantly linked with other clubs, that is just the nature of things, but the thoughtful approach to replacing those players is where the real skill lies.
Arguably, the best piece of business done by the club in recent seasons was the recruitment (and retention) of Graham Potter.
His brand of football is not only attractive but proving to be lucrative as well. Last season’s ninth place finish was no fluke and was even more impressive given that it included an 11 match winless streak and another six match run without even scoring a goal!
It is no wonder that teams such as Tottenham were linked with attempting to lure Potter away from Sussex. United also considered him before settling on Erik ten Hag.
I don’t think anyone will be surprised when the day finally comes for Potter to take the next step in his career. He has already been touted as a potential future England manager.
If Brighton’s approach to manager recruitment is the same as player recruitment, then even this should not be cause for panic.
Potter’s successor will have been long identified with a philosophy and approach which fits in with how the Albion operate.
It feels great to support a team that is well-structured and organised, both on and off the pitch. It is this foundation that will sit Brighton in good stead for many years to come.
If the Albion’s impressive recruitment continues, then who knows where the next few seasons may lead?
Perhaps it is too early to say exactly what would constitute success for Brighton this season. The club’s first ever win at Old Trafford was certainly a magnificent start.
The goalless draw at home to Newcastle, however, was a reminder of the team’s struggles in scoring at the Amex last season.
A cliché it may be, but that could so easily have been a win on another day. Or a defeat. This is Brighton, after all.
Despite this, I remain optimistic. I certainly would not rule out another top 10 finish this season. The Albion still look a well-organised, well-coached unit.
In what could be one of the most competitive Premier League seasons in recent years, this solidity should see the Seagulls aiming high once again.
These are exciting times to be a Brighton fan with the future looking bright and, in the short term at least, decidedly Ecuadorean.
Mark Elms @Mark_Elms71
