Brighton recruitment is not driven by future transfer profits, says Cave

Brighton sporting director Mike Cave says the club do not recruit players with the intention of selling them for a profit, despite completing six sales worth more than 50 million pounds each over the past four seasons.

Brighton’s recruitment model has made them one of the Premier League’s most successful clubs in the transfer market. Since their promotion to the top flight in 2017, only Chelsea have signed more players.

That extensive scouting and recruitment network has enabled Brighton to identify and develop players who later attract substantial offers. However, Cave says those sales are an outcome of the club’s approach rather than the reason players are signed.

“I wouldn’t say we ever set out thinking about how we’re going to sell a player,” Cave told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast.

“Ultimately, when we recruit players we recruit them to come and perform and develop for Brighton and Hove Albion.”

Brighton’s trading strategy has become an important part of the club’s football operation. Income from departures can then be used to reinvest in the squad, but Cave insists the priority when a player arrives is to help the team perform and progress.

“Like nearly every club in the world, players choose to leave. That’s just the natural cycle of any team and any squad,” he said.

“When that moment comes the important thing is that any club is able to maximise the sale of that player because that is what helps to go back into the football club to reinvest and hopefully again to improve the squad in some capacity over time.”

The timing of player departures cannot be predicted precisely, meaning Brighton focus on ensuring they can respond when changes occur.

“You can never exactly plan when these departures are going to take place,” Cave said. “The key thing is to have processes and systems in place to be able to react and that is what is in our control.”

He added: “Should any player leave for any reasons, what would we do in that scenario? That is our approach to it.”

Cave said the club’s central aim remained producing strong teams and players capable of delivering success for Brighton and Hove Albion.

“It’s a critical part of the football business but it’s certainly not the intention at the outset,” he said.

“For us it’s about developing and putting the best teams and players on the pitch to allow Brighton to be successful.”