Oh, Erik ten Hag. Out of all of the potential playing cards you possibly can have used to attempt to clarify away Manchester United being overwhelmed 3-1 at Previous Trafford by Brighton & Hove Albion, why did it’s important to go for cash?
“All of the groups have spent some huge cash,” the Dutchman mentioned within the wake of his aspect being fully outplayed by the Seagulls. “Brighton have spent cash. When Man Utd come, it inflates the worth. That can also be true.”
It was an excuse thinner than Ten Hag’s hairline. The Albion XI named by Roberto De Zerbi was put collectively for beneath £16m. In Diogo Dalot, United had a full-back costing £19m on his personal. Ten Hag was booed by his personal followers when he took off new striker Rasmus Hojlund with 25 minutes nonetheless to play. United paid £64m for Hojlund – greater than 4 instances the price of all the Brighton beginning lineup.
Simply to hammer house how ridiculous Ten Hag bemoaning funds was, this present United squad is probably the most expensively assembled in world soccer based on Soccer Observatory CIES. Sure, much more so than Chelsea. United have forked out £991m for his or her present batch of gamers, simply forward of the £977m paid by the Blues.
The issue would seem like that Manchester United and Ten Hag will not be excellent at spending cash, fairly than an absence of it. Evaluate that to Brighton, who might relaxation six gamers from the aspect which beat Newcastle United 3-1 earlier than the worldwide break and nonetheless come away from Previous Trafford with a cushty three factors.
Listed here are these 11 gamers who delivered victory for the Albion on the Theatre of Goals and the way a lot they every price. You may need to take some notes in case you are studying, Mr. Ten Hag.
Steele was third selection goalkeeper in a Sunderland squad which had simply been relegated into League One when Brighton signed him on a free switch in the summertime of 2018.
Routinely described by Black Cats followers because the second-worst goalkeeper of their membership’s historical past, De Zerbi elevated Steele to Albion primary in March as a result of his potential on the ball was superior to that of Robert Sanchez.
A full Dutch worldwide, a product of the well-known Ajax academy and a participant who performed an element in serving to his boyhood membership to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019.
Regardless of all that, Brighton had been the one membership considering activating an unspecified launch clause in Veltman’s Ajax contract, permitting them to signal him for simply £900,000 in the summertime of 2020. A exceptional value for a defender who’s a strong 7/10 each time he performs.
The blow of not having the ability to signal Levi Colwill on a everlasting foundation has been lessened by the emergence of Jan Paul van Hecke.
The younger Dutch defender struggled initially when pitched into the Premier League final season earlier than a coming-of-age efficiency through which he marked Erling Haaland out of the sport when Brighton drew 1-1 with Manchester Metropolis in Might.
Van Hecke was purchased for round £1.8m from NAC Breda in 2020 earlier than studying the ropes with year-long loans at Heerenveen in 2020/21 and Blackburn Rovers in 2021/22, the place he was voted Supporters’ Participant of the Season.
Mr Brighton & Hove Albion. Dunk made his Brighton debut in a 0-0 draw away at Milton Keynes Dons in 2010, aged 18 with the Seagulls a mid-table League One outfit.
Quick ahead 13 years and he has performed over 400 instances for the membership, received two promotions, is an England worldwide and is ready to change into the primary captain in Brighton historical past to steer the membership out in a European tie when their maiden Europa League marketing campaign will get underway.
De Zerbi sprang one thing of a shock by beginning Lamptey at left again in opposition to United rather than Pervis Estupinan, who was rested because of his lengthy journey again from worldwide responsibility with Ecuador.
No person truly is aware of how a lot Lamptey price when signing for Brighton in January 2020. The payment was reported as being £5m on the time however it’s now usually accepted the Seagulls paid not more than £1.5m, having taken full benefit of Lamptey having solely six months to run on his Chelsea deal and wanting to depart Stamford Bridge for first-team soccer.
Gross turned the primary signing Brighton made after profitable promotion from the Championship in 2017 and 6 years on, he stays arguably their greatest piece of enterprise.
Purchased from German aspect Ingolstadt for simply £3m, Gross has scored extra Premier League objectives than another Albion participant. Included in his haul of 28 are a exceptional seven in opposition to United. He appears to be getting higher and higher with age and can now be eyeing up the all-time Albion top-flight objectives report presently held by Michael Robinson.
As soon as thought-about probably the greatest younger abilities in Germany, a succession of accidents halted the progress of midfielder Dahoud at Borussia Dortmund following his transfer from Borussia Mönchengladbach for €12m in 2017.
That finally led to Dortmund deciding to not renew his contract in the summertime. Within the Seagulls swooped, understanding the technical potential of the 27-year-old made him excellent for DeZerbiBall, offering they’ll preserve him match. Up to now, so good in that regard.
Brighton signed winger Adingra from Danish membership FC Nordsjaelland in 2022 for round £6m earlier than loaning him straight to Tony Bloom’s Belgian membership, Union Saint-Gilloise – the identical path to the Premier League taken by Kaoru Mitoma a 12 months earlier.
Excitingly for Albion followers, Adingra put up even higher purpose and help numbers within the Jupiler League than Mitoma managed throughout his 12 months in Brussels. Large issues are subsequently anticipated of the Ivory Coast worldwide.
In amongst all of the thrilling younger expertise Brighton possess, a few older and skilled heads are wanted. Step ahead Lallana, who has confirmed an impressed signing since becoming a member of on a free from Liverpool in the summertime of 2020.
Regardless of his well-documented damage issues and the actual fact he isn’t getting any youthful, Lallana stays an important cog within the Seagulls equipment each on and off the pitch. That has been notably true since De Zerbi arrived, with the Albion head coach describing Lallana as probably the most necessary gamers on the membership.
The person with who wrote a college thesis on dribbling price a meagre £2.5m from Japanese membership Kawasaki Frontale in 2021, earlier than spending that aforementioned 12 months in Belgium with Union SG.
Mitoma’s profession in England may need seemed very completely different had Graham Potter remained Brighton supervisor. Potter favoured a 3-5-2 and appeared to have a phobia of wingers who had been fast, direct and needed to run at opposition defences. A lot in order that Mitoma didn’t begin a Premier League recreation beneath him.
Welbeck was with out a membership having been launched by Watford when Brighton introduced him to the Amex in October 2020. 4 main accidents throughout the earlier six seasons leading to a cumulative complete of practically three years on the sidelines put virtually each different membership in England off.
However not the Albion. Signing Welbeck on a one-year contract was deemed a threat value taking. Brighton duly received him match and firing and though the injury-prone tag stays, Welbeck has in precise truth missed simply seven matches out of the previous 65 by way of health points.
