Brighton & Hove Albion Transfers | All Signings & Outgoings, Transfer Updates & Rumours

Brighton & Hove Albion have been a consistent presence in the middle of the Premier League table in recent seasons, frequently pulling off big upsets by defeating top teams. Brighton had a magnificent record against the big six Premier League clubs last season, recording seven wins, three draws and two losses against them, where they defeated Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool once, drew twice with Arsenal and had a perfect record against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, teams stacked with better squads and financial backing than them.

Brighton have developed this record over time through smart investments and the development of young talent since their return to the Premier League in 2017, following their relegation from the English Football First Division in 1982/83. Their arrival in the Premier League has also been resonant, fueled by the astute managerial signings made by owner Tony Bloom, who is also responsible for lifting Brighton out of financial jeopardy, which had resulted in their previous relegation. The first manager to take charge of the club after 2017 was Graham Potter, arguably one of the best Brighton managers of all time, who worked wonders with the limited squad provided to him.

The development provided by the manager to young talents such as Alexis MacAllister, Yves Bissouma, Leandro Trossard and Marc Cucurella has since resulted in their multi-million-dollar Brighton FC transfers. Even after being essentially viewed as a selling club, they have managed to consistently maintain their overall playing level over various seasons, despite the acquisition of their best players by other top teams. This has been achieved through the simple and smart reinvestment of these funds to obtain high-potential young replacements.

This cycle of outgoings and incomings, combined with Brighton management's knack for cracking favourable deals, has ensured that they always remain a team to watch out for, in terms of performance as well as Brighton transfer news. These shrewd signings can also be credited to Tony Bloom, a professional sports gambler and businessman who owns a priority stake in Brighton and uses his sporting IQ to single out tailor-made hidden gems from any league in the world. He is often referred to as “The Lizard” due to the calm, cold, and calculated way in which he undertakes an in-depth analysis of any proposition before making a business deal.

Brighton & Hove Albion Transfer Window Priorities:

Brighton transfer news was a recurrent theme on our television in the 2024/2025 season as they made total signings worth £247 million. However, this spending spree couldn't put a dent in their financials, as they still managed to secure the top spot in net money spent with + £194.2 million. Brighton employs a strategy of using AI and machine learning software to establish the perfect statistical replacement for the Brighton transfers required to fill the subsequent squad vacancy. This is combined with an eye test and personality test to ensure that the results obtained are optimised.

Striker (ST)

Current Profiles at Brighton & Hove Albion:

• Brighton have developed a system for their team that best reflects their ideology of employing younger talent, dynamic movement and a constant change in squad dynamics due to the to and fro of players. This can be seen through the overall team statistics of Brighton under different managers, where although there are key differences in each approach but all of them are influenced by the same fundamental principles. The Brighton owner, Tony Bloom, being an expert in statistical deduction and future projection through analysis, has ensured that the template of the team remains the same so that there can be a subsequent conversion of this strategy into a module for the players, to avoid inconsistencies throughout the season and develop a project. It is also necessary due to Brighton's volatile squad, which can be subject to change in any transfer window, provided the Seagulls are aptly compensated for the talent, which they further reinvest in smart replacements, from other leagues around the world and Europe to obtain their services without the levying of the Premier League tax on the price.

• 	Graham Potter (2021-2022)	Roberto De Zerbi (2022-2023)	Fabian Hurzeler (2024-2025)
  Possession	54.2%	59.9%	51.6%
  Direct speed up field (m/s)	1.12	1.06	1.24
  10- Pass sequences per game	11.8	19.8	10.9
  GK launch rate (Goal-Kicks)	61.3%	5.9%	25.8%
  GK launch rate (open kicks)	31.3%	20.3%	28%

• We can infer from the above context the stylistic intricacies of different managers during their reign. We can see from Potter's high launch rate and average possession statistics that under him, Brighton played a very direct brand of football, much like Brentford, where the emphasis was on getting the team up the pitch through long balls and contesting for loose second balls. Further, the middle ground found in the 10-pass sequence per game statistic illustrates that they believed in biding time with the ball through horizontal passing to invite the first line of press and then move the game vertically, instantaneously. In Roberto De Zerbi's era, the focus shifted more on the total football principles of pass and move to create space, coupled with long-ball counter tactics reserved for goal kicks and other dead balls. Space creation during this campaign was done through two major outlets, which have observably also been a common occurrence in his successor's approach.
• The team lined up in a 4-2-2-2 during the low build-up phase, with the opponent team playing high up the pitch, with the goalkeeper and the defensive line bearing the brunt of the first line of press. Further up the pitch, the midfield included two holding midfielders facilitating central combinations and back passes to shift the pressing lines' focus. The striker in the setup dropped alongside the attacking/interior midfielder to gain numerical security in the midfield, ideal for counter-pressing situations as well as to contest for the loose second ball. The differentiation factor of this setup included wingers playing off the shoulder of the opponent's backline, which allowed them to counter with a simple vertical ball over the defence and also contest headers, which can then fall to any Brighton player in the purposefully swamped midfield. The utility of this approach comes from the subsequent uncertainty this setup creates in the minds of centre backs as to whether to man-mark the striker and number 10 dropping deep in the midfield or risk these creative playmakers receiving passes in central channels to mitigate the two-headed threat of pacy wingers running into the space behind the defensive line.
• This strategy to bypass opponents' high press has also been implemented by the new manager Hurzeler; however, De Zerbi's approach was focused on attacking more and creating more chances to dominate their opponents, which subsequently resulted in them making more dangerous plays, where quick 1-2's, box passes and long balls out on the wings were used to bypass the press. Hurzeler is a pragmatist in this sense, compared to the previous Brighton boss. His ideology of Brighton strikes a perfect balance between Graham Potter's long-ball counter-attacking style and de Zerbi's tiki-taka-like quick short-pass combinations.
• Hurzeler has employed some of these principles in his dead-ball tactics and in the high build-up phase, where chances of a turnover are minimised due to the team being aware of a looming attack and also due to the drilled structures in which the team sets itself up to prevent the opponent's progression. However, in the low build-up phase, Hurzeler employs the more conventional and secure 4-3-3 in buildup, which on the field is implemented with the goalkeeper and defensive line inviting the first line of press, with a number six available at the base of the midfield, to provide an option for triangular circulation of the ball to bypass the press. Once the first press is bypassed, the no.6 can then turn to find the opponent's defensive line pinned by five players, namely, two wingers, a striker and the two interior midfielders operating in half spaces to make the defence more uncomfortable.
• João Pedro has been one of the key components of the Brighton squad since the era of De Zerbi, due to his dynamic profile and smart movement from outside the box, which fits the Brighton template perfectly. The striker is technically astute and fits into the second striker profile perfectly, which Brighton employs to create space behind defenders, which their wingers can exploit by creating 1v1 with the defenders. The dynamic forward registered 3.33 short creating actions per 90, which highlights his adeptness in supplying his teammates quality chances, while also recording 0.23 xAG, putting him in the 92nd percentile for Premier League strikers. He is also extremely useful for ball progression in the system when he drops deep in the low build-up phase, which is represented accurately in his 3.60 progressive passes and 3.05 progressive carries through opponent pressure in a game. João also fulfils the system's requirement of applying relentless pressure, as he has won 0.42 interceptions per 90, which subsequently result in unhinged turnovers benefitting the club. After his move to Chelsea, Brighton requires a similar, if not better, profile to compensate for his skillset.
• Brighton acquired the services of Greek prodigy Charalampos Kostoulas, to compensate for Pedro's loss. The youngster has shown promise in his domestic league as he was deployed as a main creative force in their attack with 10 goals. Kostoulas also registered 5.81 touches in the attacking penalty half, which, when combined with his 0.22 xAG, show glimpses of his amazing attacking prowess.
• Despite the presence of such diverse profiles and signings of talents such as Kostoulas and the presence of academy talents, Brighton still have to compensate for the transfer of Simon Adingra to Sunderland and the imminent transfer of Evan Ferguson to Roma, leaving an overall scarcity in terms of a solid attacking profile.

Required Profiles at Brighton & Hove Albion:

• Brighton requires a dynamic striker who can rotate seamlessly with the ageing Danny Welbeck and connect well with Mitoma and Minteh on the flanks, as Brighton's low build-up is key for opening up opportunities for them in big games.
• OGC Nice's Evann Guessand fits the bill perfectly here, the striker stacked up a respectable tally of 13 goals and 10 assists in 42 games, which ensures the numbers. What's exciting is that this is just one facet of his game. A npxG of 0.33, when combined with his 0.18 xAG, shows that he is a live wire in attack, creating several chances for himself and his teammates. He made 1.83 successful take-ons per 90 minutes, demonstrating a sound sense of press resistance and maintaining the natural flow of the game. This thus fits the bill for striker requirements to apply the desired tactics while building up. Another key requirement for a player in Brighton's system is the high-intensity pressing, closing down opponents as soon as the press triggers receive the ball. Evann has made 1.64 tackles, 0.59 interceptions and won 0.96 aerial duels, verifying his vigour and commitment towards the high press.
• Another option that seems viable and comes with a proven Premier League pedigree is Chelsea's Nicholas Jackson. He provides an npxG + xAG of 0.67, which is in keeping with his high-volume chance creation mould, where he's finishing maybe suspect, but he ensures that the opponent always keeps on their toes to avoid a careless mistake. His 1.91 progressive carries also outline his ability to break defensive lines efficiently and initiate counter-attacks, which are crucial for Brighton when facing superior squads. His 5.72 penalty half touches per game show his willingness to get into the box, channelling his striker's instinct.