How Brighton attract and develop the best young players ahead of their rivals

Brighton sporting director Mike Cave discusses Brighton's transfer policy and how the club signs and nurtures the best young talent in the game. Brighton sporting director Mike Cave explains the club's approach to recruitment Brighton & Hove Albion sit third in the Premier League, with one of the highest-scoring teams in Europe. To the uninitiated it might seem logical that the Seagulls must have spent big, investing in players ready for the first team. Yet Brighton are, along with Everton, one of only two clubs to record a profit in transfer spending over the past five years. It is a team full of young players, testament to the club's data-led recruitment and development strategy.

"We have a really clear philosophy around how we can be competitive in arguably the most challenging league in the world," Brighton sporting director Mike Cave told BBC Sport. But Brighton are more than just competitive. They went into the international break with a 3-0 home win over champions Arsenal. From identifying players, to providing pathways, integrating them into the team and then selling at the right time, it is a strategy which has worked, year after year. This is how the the club identify, attract and grow talent – and make them into first-team players. Brighton use analytics and data as their primary method of