Brighton's 10 biggest sales of all time

14 Jun 2023 13:37 BST |
Updated: 3 Oct 2026 16:46 BST |
5 min read

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Brighton have been transfer kings in recent years when it comes to extracting the highest possible value for their players.

The south coast club typically find gems in the lower leagues across the world, before seeing them grow to become Premier League stars.

Owner Tony Bloom continues to demand huge fees for Brighton’s stars, with some of the biggest sales in Premier League history coming from the Seagulls.

Below, FootballTransfers takes a look at Brighton’s 10 biggest sales to date.

10. Carl Rushworth – €25.7m (to Coventry, 2026)

Carl Rushworth was a relative unknown in Premier League circles, with the goalkeeper mostly making waves on loan in the Championship. Signed by Brighton as a teenager and nurtured in the academy, he was sold for a tidy profit without ever having played for the first team.

Rushworth helped Coventry get promoted to the Premier League in 2025-26, which prompted the Sky Blues to fight tooth and nail to keep him permanently. Brighton were reluctant to sell him, but letting him go became a no-brainer when Coventry offered €25.7m.

9. Deniz Undav – €26.7m (to Stuttgart, 2024)

Germany international Deniz Undav never hit the heights expected of him at Brighton, but he nevertheless managed to fetch the Seagulls a handsome fee.

The striker spent the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Bundesliga side Stuttgart and enjoyed a fairytale campaign. Thanks to his goals, the Swabians went from relegation-battlers to Bundesliga runners-up.

Unsurprisingly, the German side were then desperate to sign him permanently and buoyed by Champions League funds, they splashed out a club-record €26.7m to secure his signature.

8. Yves Bissouma – €29.2m (to Tottenham, 2022)

Yves Bissouma wasn’t initially trusted by Chris Hughton when he arrived from Lille, with the experienced pairing of Davy Propper and Dale Stephens preferred, but he soon established himself as one of the best midfielders in England under Graham Potter.

The Mali international attracted interest from several big teams on the continent, but it was Tottenham who landed him in 2022, spending nearly €30m to acquire his services.

He divided opinion at Spurs and increasingly fell out of favour, culminating in his release in 2026 and subsequent free transfer move to Ajax.

7. Alexis Mac Allister – €42m (to Liverpool, 2023)

Alexis Mac Allister earned plenty of plaudits at Argentinos Juniors, and Brighton’s brilliant use of the South American market saw them steal a march on the competition and sign the midfielder for just €8m in January 2019.

It wasn’t for another 12 months that he made his Brighton debut, however, after two loan spells in his homeland, and Mac Allister found it difficult to find a home under Potter. However, that changed in the 2021-22 season when he became a key contributor at Brighton.

Mac Allister soon evolved into a vital player for Argentina, and he played a pivotal role in their 2022 World Cup triumph. He joined Liverpool after a brilliant final year at Brighton and has been a major success at Anfield.

6. Ben White – €58.5m (to Arsenal, 2021)

Ben White came through the Brighton academy, but he made his name on loan at Leeds United. In fact, his form at Elland Road earned reports of a potential England call-up, despite the fact that he was playing in the Championship.

After just one year back at Brighton, in which he played at centre-back, right-back and centre midfield in almost equal measure, White joined Arsenal for nearly €60m in 2021.

He initially played at the heart of defence, and endured a tricky time during his first campaign. However, Mikel Arteta converted him into a full-time right-back in 2022, and White starred with the protection of William Saliba next to him.

5. Jan Paul van Hecke – €60m (to Tottenham, 2026)

Jan Paul van Hecke established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League alongside Lewis Dunk at Brighton, which resulted in frequent links with bigger clubs. In 2026, with his contract running down, he decided that it was time to take the next step in his career.

He rejected an extension offer from Brighton and requested to leave. Brighton agreed to his demand and sold him to Tottenham for a whopping €60m after some tense negotiations. In return, the Seagulls signed Spurs wonderkid Luka Vuskovic.

4. Joao Pedro – €63.7m (to Chelsea, 2025)

Joao Pedro became the latest Brighton star to join Chelsea when the Blues snapped him up for an initial fee of €63.7m in 2025.

The forward enjoyed two impressive seasons at Brighton after joining from Watford in 2023, scoring 30 goals and providing 10 assists in 70 appearances, and he made it clear that he wanted to leave following the 2024-25 season.

Due to a desire to return to London, Chelsea quickly emerged as his favoured option, and he helped the Blues win the Club World Cup less than one month after joining.

3. Marc Cucurella – €65.3m (to Chelsea, 2022)

Just like the aforementioned White, Marc Cucurella only played one full season of football at Brighton before Chelsea and Manchester City were linked with a move after his ‘Player of the Year’ campaign on the south coast.

Pep Guardiola’s side soon backed out after learning Brighton’s asking price, but Chelsea persisted and eventually paid €65.3m to sign the Spaniard – over double the amount Man City were willing to fork out.

Cucurella suffered a torrid first season in West London, but he improved under Mauricio Pochettino before becoming one of the best full-backs in the world under Enzo Maresca and ultimately joining Real Madrid in 2026.

2. Carlos Baleba – €75.9m (to Man Utd, 2026)

It took a year longer than expected, but Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba secured his dream move to Man Utd in 2026. The Red Devils had already wanted to sign him in 2025, but the Seagulls refused to sell.

At the time, Brighton would have likely only considered fees well in excess of €100m. Baleba, having had his head turned, endured a disappointing season following his failed transfer, but this actually worked in Man Utd’s favour because it decreased his value.

The Old Trafford club ultimately had to pay only €75.9m rather than €100m+ when they struck a deal in 2026. Baleba nevertheless became Brighton’s second-biggest sale.

1. Moises Caicedo – €116m (to Chelsea, 2023)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a Brighton player moving to Chelsea is the biggest sale in the club’s history, with Moises Caicedo commanding a huge fee when he moved to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2023.

Chelsea had identified the Ecuadorian as their top target but, despite having agreed personal terms with Caicedo for months, the deal dragged on as Brighton kept demanding a ludicrous fee.

However, after rebuffing a late hijack attempt from Liverpool, Caicedo finally got his move for €116m in August 2023. He would develop into one of the Premier League’s best midfielders in West London.

The 10 biggest Brighton sales of all time

Cameron Smith is a Digital Content Producer for FootballTransfers, having joined the team upon its inception in November 2020.

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