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Grading Brighton and Hove Albion's Last 5 Notable Sales... RANKED
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- Grading Brighton and Hove Albion's Last 5 Notable Sales... RANKED
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
Brighton and Hove Albion are always busy when it comes to selling players in the transfer market, but what if we actually look through these players and grade the deal for both the selling club and the buyers?
For the sake of the arguments, we will only be mentioning 'notable' sales above £10 million and/or players who have gone on to achieve/flop at their next club!
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1. Most recently, Diego Coppola to Paris - £20 million
Seller: B+
Buyer: A
First and foremost, we have to start with the most recent sale. Diego Coppola completed his £20 million move to Paris FC this summer after an encouraging loan spell at the club towards the end of last season.
It is very good money for what he is worth right now. Ultimately, he has hardly kicked a ball for Brighton and hasn't had the opportunity to succeed beyond belief. However, at just 21-years-old, there is still a long career ahead of him.
Liam Rosenior has raised a lot of young players in his career so far, especially at Strasbourg , and this could be an opportunity for him to grow into a top young player.
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For now, I place it as a good sale for the money, considering Luka Vuskovic was signed, but a potential A rating for the buying club.
2. Jan Paul Van Hecke to Spurs , £52 million
Seller: A*
Buyer: A
It is very hard to complain from both sides of this deal, especially when context is applied.
Tottenham Hotspur have signed a player who is very familiar with their new head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, who is only going to improve - and is already a top-percentile modern defender who is approaching his prime years.
From a Seagulls perspective, Albion managed to squeeze every last drop of game time out of Van Hecke, as well as accumulating a sizeable figure with only a year left on his current deal.
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It was well documented that the Dutchman didn't want to renew his contract at the club, and therefore a sale at £52 million is an excellent piece of business.
3. João Pedro to Chelsea , £55 million
Seller: F
Buyer: A
It has always been very difficult to warm to the sale of Joao Pedro to Chelsea. A player who showcased superstar qualities on the South Coast and contributed to 40 goals in an impressive 70 appearances during his time at Brighton.
The Brazilian forward has continued to show his talents, but now at a big club. Becoming a notable goalscorer on tough Champions League nights at Napoli and has offered a unique work rate compared to most number 9s that Albion have struggled to replicate since his departure. This wasn't unfamiliar to Brighton either. A big game player, and the epitome of a player who could make things happen by himself.
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From consistent smart runs, to crashing the box. His technical excellence sees passes before they happen, all the while tracking back to defend for his team.
For Chelsea, £55 million is a steal in the modern market for a player who not only scores goals but also creates them while saving games himself.
4. Simon Adingra to Sunderland , £20 million
Seller: A
Buyer: F
Safe to say, this one is quite the opposite to the Pedro sale! While it would be slightly shy of an A* rating as the incoming left-wingers since his departure have left more to be desired, accumulating £20 million for Adingra was fantastic business.
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The Ivorian was certainly a hard worker but lacked quality and physicality to make a big enough impact in the Premier League to make it worth keeping him into the future.
While the incomer of Tommy Watson wasn't a great return, Adingra didn't kick on at Sunderland either. The winger spent half of his debut season on loan at Monaco ; that's about all there is to say!
5. Pervis Estupiñan to AC Milan , £17 million
Seller: D/C
Buyer: C
It feels weird to suggest that the Albion fans could be seeing our former Ecuadorian left-back at the Amex on the opening day, wearing an Aston Villa shirt.
While he hasn't been incredible over at the San Siro, he did manage to score a winning goal in the Milan derby earlier in the year!
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He certainly seemed past his best in his final season at Brighton, and despite his move, he has continued to be relatively inconsistent since his move.
With that said, it hasn't been a 'failure' for either party.
From a Brighton perspective, they recouped the money that they originally spent on him after getting the best years out of the full-back, but perhaps may wish they had kept hold of him when considering that money was spent on a less effective defender in Maxim De Cuyper.
