Brighton is one of the smartest clubs in the Premier League, competing against major teams like Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool despite their limited resources. The most intriguing aspect of the club is their scouting process. Let’s discuss how they have become one of the best scouting clubs in the world.
The Influence of Tony Bloom
Brighton’s majority owner, Tony Bloom, is known for his expertise in gambling. He used metrics that were more powerful than xG(expected goals) and tried to predict the game and earn lots of money. Then he brought the club ownership in 2009. Following that time, Brighton uses a consistent game modelling algorithm system and buys some potential raw materials players.
Expanding Scouting Beyond Europe
Brighton’s ability to scout talent outside of Europe has not only strengthened their squad but also generated better profits through player sales. For example:
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Moisés Caicedo: Signed from Independiente del Valle in February 2021 for £4.5 million, the Ecuadorian midfielder developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in Premier League talent. In August 2023, Brighton sold him to Chelsea for a record fee of £115 million.
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Alexis Mac Allister: Signed from Argentinos Juniors in January 2019 for £7 million, the Argentine midfielder initially spent time on loan before becoming a key player for Brighton. After winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he was sold to Liverpool in 2023 for £35 million.
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Kaoru Mitoma: In August 2021, Brighton signed the Japanese winger from Kawasaki Frontale for a reported fee of €3 million. Mitoma has since become an important player for the club, attracting significant transfer interest.
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Yoon Do-young: In March 2025, Brighton agreed to sign the South Korean winger from Daejeon Hana Citizen. The 18-year-old is set to join Brighton on 1 July 2025 on a contract extending until June 2030. The transfer fee is reported to be around €2.4 million (£2 million).
After Premier League promotion (2017-2024), they have spent €750M and earned €445M in the transfer market. Despite a loss of €305M, they are in a financially better position than most Premier League clubs.
Consistency in Philosophy
Brighton has established an identity through the years. Graham Potter to Fabian Hürzeler have remained consistent in their philosophy. They want to buy those players who have the ability to a possession-oriented build-up, protect the ball under pressure and try to attract their opponents for high pressing. Even this season under Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton has only changed their off-the-ball. Now they are defending in the deep according to the game situation.
Brighton’s success in scouting is not about coincidence; it’s about their big data use, their rational, unbiased decision-making, and their extensive scouting network. Probably, those are the reasons every major club is now trying to establish a data department and optimise their scouting process. This may be what we call Brighton’s scouting effort.
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