How Brighton became masters of finding young talent

Over the past few years, Brighton have quietly built a reputation as one of the smartest operators in football when it comes to recruitment and player development. The Seagulls are taking a different approach from much of the Premier League. While other clubs are splashing out massive fees on established stars, Brighton are focusing on finding young, hungry players before anyone else spots them and turning them into the next big thing. It’s pretty remarkable how Brighton keep producing players that most football fans have never even heard of, so how exactly are they doing it?

The Data Behind Brighton's Talent Revolution

Of course, every Premier League club uses data-driven methods to scout potential signings, but down at Brighton, data isn’t just part of the process, it is the process. This approach all starts with their fan-owner, Tony Bloom, who also happens to own a sports analytics company.

To compete at the highest level, innovation is key, and in a league where everyone’s trying to outspend one another, finding new ways to gain an edge is more important than ever. And that’s exactly what Bloom has done with Brighton by turning data and analytics into a competitive advantage that sets them apart from the rest.

🚨 Brighton have banned some of the club's own scouts from seeing the data they use to sign players.

(Source: Sun Sport) pic.twitter.com/JQz6tyJLc0

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) November 14, 2024

A common misconception about some of Brighton’s wonderkids is that they’re plucked out of nowhere, thrown straight into the first team, and instantly worth five times what the club paid for them. But that’s not the case. The idea isn't to sign players that are already first-team ready because that would cost just too much, its to sign them with the belief that, one day, they will be. This is why their focus on maintaining a constant conveyor belt of talent is so crucial because as players develop and reach their peak, the Seagulls need fresh faces ready to step up and fill those shoes to ensure that the pipeline never runs dry.

The Global Network

Using data is great, but what really sets Brighton apart is where this data takes them. Their approach focuses on scouting some of the smaller footballing regions because in Europe, players are often already on the radar of the big clubs, which means their prices have shot up by the time the data shows potential. This strategy gives them the chance to unearth undervalued talent, with massive potential, but still flying under the radar of Europe’s biggest clubs. It's all about finding those hidden gems before they hit the mainstream and get priced out of reach.

Take Moisés Caicedo for example. He was spotted playing for Independiente del Valle in Ecuador and signed for just £4m. Fast forward a couple of years, and he’s sold for over £100m, making him one of the highest transfers in Premier League history. Then there's Alexis Mac Allister, who was brought in for a mere £8m and sold for over four times that amount. These kinds of deals are not one-offs and the Seagulls managed to turn a profit of around £121m from player sales in just a few short years.

If Moises Caicedo's sale to Chelsea is confirmed, Brighton will have made nearly £300m from player sales in the last 3 seasons (including add-ons). That's a cash profit, so the accounting profit will be even higher, as the purchase cost will have been amortised. Not bad #BHAFC pic.twitter.com/yjpqfL3REF

— Swiss Ramble (@SwissRamble) August 14, 2023

Creating a Positive Envirnonment

Another one of Brighton's biggest strengths away from data analytics and scouting is the ability to create an environment that gets the very best out of their talent. Its one thing to spot raw talent, but it's another to nurture it properly. That's where the conveyor-belt comes into the equation. This means that players who are signed, but are not ready yet, are afforded the time to develop whether that be on loan or by integrating them slowly.

Take Moisés Caicedo again, for example. He didn’t walk straight into the first team when he arrived as a kid from Ecuador. He was eased in gradually and even spent time out on loan at Beerschot in Belgium to gain experience and get him up to speed. The same approach was used with Alexis Mac Allister, who was initially loaned back to Argentina before being integrated into the first team setup.

This long-term strategy means that Brighton can afford to sell a player like Caicedo for over £100 million, knowing someone like Carlos Baleba, already in the system, is being nurtured to take his place. The process is a seamless transition and it’s crucial that the conveyor belt keeps rolling so that when one player moves on, there’s always another ready to make the step up.

Carlos Baleba: Scouting Report

In-depth analysis on one of the world's best midfield talents—play style, aerial ability, defensive prowess, tempo setting, ball-carrying, agility, ball-striking, weaknesses, and tactical adaptability.

A THREAD 🧵 pic.twitter.com/atrQZj7mZB

— Instinctive (@FPL_Instinctive) March 13, 2025