Bloom Warns Brighton Fans Not to Expect Transfer Sprees

Brighton & Hove Albion Chairman, Tony Bloom warned fans not to expect a spending spree in upcoming transfer windows. 

The men’s summer transfer window saw Brighton sign nine players with Yankuba Minteh, Brajan Gruda and Ferdi Kadioglu amongst the various incomings.

Bloom though knew that the club planned to bring in some new players but didn’t envision the eventual number of arrivals.

“Certainly at the start of the window we knew there were going to be opportunities,” commented Bloom in an interview to the club website. “We knew there was going to be quite a few incomings, quite a few changes.

“We probably didn’t envisage quite as much. You never quite know how a transfer window will transpire – the players you want to bring in, are they going to be within budget? Are they going to be available? But I think the circumstances have allowed this.”

Bloom proceeded to speak about the impact of Profits & Sustainability Rules (PSR) as he addressed how it has impacted upon competitive ability of various club in Europe against top Premier League teams.

“The PSR issues of other clubs is well known, perhaps other bigger clubs on the continent haven’t quite got the budgets to compete with some of the Premier League teams.”

Having lost players like Marc Cucurella, Leonardo Trossard and Alexis Mac Allister in last two seasons, Bloom explained that their transfer strategy allowed them to “bring in lots of first team players and on top of that we’ve invested a lot in younger players.”

Several young players have broken through into the first team during that time, with Evan Ferguson, Jack Hinshelwood and Facundo Buonanotte just a few examples of youngsters who have made that progress.

Buonanotte though has gone on loan for this season along with academy graduates, Odeluga Offiah, Benicio Baker-Boaitey and new signing, Amario Cozier-Duberry.

Addressing the decision to let Buonanotte go out on loan, Bloom explained that he needed regular game time which looked limited at the Seagulls this season.

“With the players we’ve brought in, we didn’t think he would have the opportunity so much this season, so he’s got a great loan at Leicester City.”

The 54 year-old though warned fans to not expect another busy transfer window for a while, with focus on having young players step up more regularly if key players leave.

“Going forward, we probably won’t see anything like that in the next two or three transfer windows, because if we do lose some key players in future windows, we will hopefully have players coming through.

“That might be with the younger players within the squad at the moment or players that we’ve invested in the last couple of years coming through, or academy players who have come through.”

Bloom consequently is hopeful that those players out on loan can grasp their opportunities, ready to return next season and fight for a first-team spot.

“Some of them have gone out on loan and we hope they’ll come back in the next one or two seasons and have a big chance of making our first team.”