Brighton Have Brilliant Recruitment Strategy to Thank for Another Season in the Premier League

From the AMEX - There were parties along the south coast in the summer of 2017.

Brighton's always a lovely place from April through August, what with the salty air, chips available at seemingly every other shop, and vibrant nightlife.

But in 2017, Albion made the final step in the plan that was set in the motion with the development of the AMEX. They reached the Premier League under Chris Hughton, with players like Anthony Knockaert, Bruno and Shane Duffy heralded as legends throughout the seaside city.

But fast forward to the present day, and Brighton's team has a distinctly different look and feel to it. From that 2016/17 promotion squad, only Lewis Dunk and Dale Stephens started against Newcastle on Monday, with defender Duffy, veteran striker Glenn Murray and winger Solly March only present on the bench.

So it's evident, then, that Brighton knew staying loyal to that band of warriors who helped the club reach the top division for the first time since 1983 would not work in the long term.

Instead, they went about their transfer business diligently, picking up key players across several windows, knowing those who came to the club could prove themselves as decent Premier League players and help the side maintain its top flight status and continue improving.

Players like Yves Bissouma, Pascal Gross, Aaron Mooy and Neal Maupay are evident upgrades on the players who came before them. It's sensible business, which isn't always the approach when clubs are promoted from the Championship.

In recent years, it's been Fulham and Aston Villa who have made big splashes in the market, only to return poor performances on the pitch. The Cottagers were relegated in the 2018/19 season by their 33rd game, while the Villans are expected to drop out of this season's Premier League.

Generally, it's not a wise way to operate. When figures of £20m are thrown around by clubs looking to reestablish themselves following promotion, it sets the alarm bells ringing.

Which is exactly why Brighton's approach should be applauded.

Snapping up Tariq Lamptey from Chelsea was inspired. He's already nudged himself in front of former Barcelona defender Martin Montoya at right back. Mooy on loan? Brilliant business.

Of course there have been signings that haven't worked out. Jurgen Locadia looked a decent prospect from PSV, but only scored three Premier League goals after arriving in January 2018 and is currently on loan at Cincinnati, who have an option to buy. Alireza Jahanbakhsh is yet to convince, though his overhead kick against Chelsea might have been worth the club record fee regardless.

On Monday night, they held Newcastle to confirm a fourth consecutive season in the top flight, a remarkable feat for a side playing League One football as recently as 2012. Since then, players like Will Buckley, Tomasz Kuszczak and Leonardo Ulloa have come and gone, but they haven't been missed.

Brighton are said to have ambitions of becoming a top ten Premier League side, and if they carry on with their measured and thought-out approach, that could become reality sooner rather than later.

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