viv_andersons_nana
Well-known member
There is a LOT of talk around at the moment about Brighton's transfer policy and the 'model' that club runs on. I said on a Morgan Rogers thread that we only really hear about the wildly successful transfers so thought it would be interesting to have a look through their business from the past 6 or so years.
Everybody knows White, Caicedo, Bissouma, Mac Allister and Cucurella et al, as well as the value they've had out of players like Gross, plus players like Mitoma, Lamptey, etc. but it's amazing to see how many 'punts' they take that don't work out.
They can now afford to carry a huge infrastructure and global scouting network and take punt after punt after punt. Almost all of them are sent out on loan to Belgium and then the Championship, and then either break into the first team or move on again. Often at a considerable loss - offset by the sales that net them insane money from the wealthiest 6 Premier League clubs.
They are essentially spotting young players to develop and sell on to the three London clubs, Manchester or Liverpool, plus the 3 or 4 from abroad who can afford to pay the fees.
Look at this list:
Percy Tau
Billy Arce
Anders Dreyer
Tudor Baluta
Peter Gwargis
Jurgen Locadia
Matthias Norman
Ales Mateju
Markus Suttner
Soufyan Ahannach
Romaric Yapi
Kacper Lopata
Bojan Radulovic
Jordan Araujo
Stefan Ljubicic
Piotr Zalewski
Casper Nilsson
Ulrick Eneme Ella
Reda Khadra
Andy Zeqiri
Michal Karbownik
Jakub Moder
Leo Skiri Ostigard
Jan Mlakar
Enock Mwepu
Kjell Scherpen
Abdallah Sima
Florin Andone
Lars Dendoncker
Lorent Tolaj
Kipras Kazukolovas
Antef Tsoungui
This is just the list of players available to hand. Brighton have been actively and aggressively recruiting at U21 and U23 level now for several years, and the number of players they carry and have out on loan at any time now is up there with how Chelsea used to run their youth system.
Brighton are very, very good at what they do but it just shows you how difficult it is to uncover hidden gems. They have been well ahead of the curve in recent years, using the Brexit rules around work permits to their advantage to sign promising players from South America and Asia, so much so that now everybody is trying to do it. We've seen it with Brentford, Leicester before them, Southampton before them, Swansea before them. Brighton look like they get 2 or 3 hits from every dozen or players they sign.
My point is that it's a hard business and there will be PLENTY of players who join Boro that do not develop in the way we hoped they would, or are sold at a loss(or moved on for free), or move on without netting us huge, Caicedo-esque money, but we have to accept our place in the chain. It is much better to build this into whatever 'model' you adopt instead of trying to fight it.
We can look to what they do for inspiration but it's kind of daft to try and make comparisons with an established Premier League club imo. We do not have their funds, scouting networks or proven track record. We are trying to build it. It is going to take time and we can just have to keep chipping away at it.
Rogers has turned us a big profit so it shows positive signs that the club is identifying talent and developing it. One Morgan Rogers every summer puts the club in a much stronger position than it has been in years. It’s much easier said than done of course.
But we do need to accept as well that a lot of the players signed won't be sold for huge profits or even go on to become established Boro players. It’s the nature of the business.
Everybody knows White, Caicedo, Bissouma, Mac Allister and Cucurella et al, as well as the value they've had out of players like Gross, plus players like Mitoma, Lamptey, etc. but it's amazing to see how many 'punts' they take that don't work out.
They can now afford to carry a huge infrastructure and global scouting network and take punt after punt after punt. Almost all of them are sent out on loan to Belgium and then the Championship, and then either break into the first team or move on again. Often at a considerable loss - offset by the sales that net them insane money from the wealthiest 6 Premier League clubs.
They are essentially spotting young players to develop and sell on to the three London clubs, Manchester or Liverpool, plus the 3 or 4 from abroad who can afford to pay the fees.
Look at this list:
Percy Tau
Billy Arce
Anders Dreyer
Tudor Baluta
Peter Gwargis
Jurgen Locadia
Matthias Norman
Ales Mateju
Markus Suttner
Soufyan Ahannach
Romaric Yapi
Kacper Lopata
Bojan Radulovic
Jordan Araujo
Stefan Ljubicic
Piotr Zalewski
Casper Nilsson
Ulrick Eneme Ella
Reda Khadra
Andy Zeqiri
Michal Karbownik
Jakub Moder
Leo Skiri Ostigard
Jan Mlakar
Enock Mwepu
Kjell Scherpen
Abdallah Sima
Florin Andone
Lars Dendoncker
Lorent Tolaj
Kipras Kazukolovas
Antef Tsoungui
This is just the list of players available to hand. Brighton have been actively and aggressively recruiting at U21 and U23 level now for several years, and the number of players they carry and have out on loan at any time now is up there with how Chelsea used to run their youth system.
Brighton are very, very good at what they do but it just shows you how difficult it is to uncover hidden gems. They have been well ahead of the curve in recent years, using the Brexit rules around work permits to their advantage to sign promising players from South America and Asia, so much so that now everybody is trying to do it. We've seen it with Brentford, Leicester before them, Southampton before them, Swansea before them. Brighton look like they get 2 or 3 hits from every dozen or players they sign.
My point is that it's a hard business and there will be PLENTY of players who join Boro that do not develop in the way we hoped they would, or are sold at a loss(or moved on for free), or move on without netting us huge, Caicedo-esque money, but we have to accept our place in the chain. It is much better to build this into whatever 'model' you adopt instead of trying to fight it.
We can look to what they do for inspiration but it's kind of daft to try and make comparisons with an established Premier League club imo. We do not have their funds, scouting networks or proven track record. We are trying to build it. It is going to take time and we can just have to keep chipping away at it.
Rogers has turned us a big profit so it shows positive signs that the club is identifying talent and developing it. One Morgan Rogers every summer puts the club in a much stronger position than it has been in years. It’s much easier said than done of course.
But we do need to accept as well that a lot of the players signed won't be sold for huge profits or even go on to become established Boro players. It’s the nature of the business.
