Shrewd And Successful Brighton Become England's Model Club

Manchester, United Kingdom, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Apr, 2023 ) :Brighton face Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday with the prize of a first FA Cup final for 40 years on offer to cap the Seagulls' meteoric rise from the bottom of the English football pyramid to one of its most respected clubs.

The fact that Roberto De Zerbi's men are the bookies favourites to beat the Red Devils is testament to how Brighton have become the model to follow for those clubs who do not possess the resources of the Premier League's traditional powers.

Albion sit seventh in the English top flight, above Liverpool and Chelsea, despite losing their manager earlier in the season and consistently having their best players poached by the Premier League elite.

Graham Potter was chewed up and spat out by Chelsea within seven months after Brighton pocketed �21.5 million ($27 million) in compensation for the Englishman's departure in September.

Over �100 million of playing talent has also departed this season as Marc Cucurella made the move to Chelsea, Tottenham snapped up Yves Bissouma and Arsenal came calling for Leandro Trossard in January.

Yet, there is no sign of the Brighton train coming off the tracks as De Zerbi has built on the foundations Potter left and produced one of the most exciting sides to watch in Europe.

"The best team at making the build-up in the world is Brighton," said Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola last week.

The final finish is sometimes still lacking with a failure to take their chances looking like it will cost Brighton a crack at Champions League football for the first time.

Yet, a 2-1 win at Chelsea last week illustrated how they have outthought rivals with much deeper pockets.

Paraguayan teenager Julio Enciso scored a stunning winner at Stamford Bridge to announce himself as Brighton's latest South American bargain, following in the footsteps of Argentine World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo, who was subject of a �70 million bid from Arsenal in January.

Brighton's scouting network spans the globe. Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma, who has scored 10 goals this season, was playing in his homeland prior to a �2.5 million move from Kawasaki Frontale two years ago.

Closer to home, talented Irish international Evan Ferguson turned down Liverpool in favour of a move to the Amex given the clearer pathway into the first team.