Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton & Hove Albionduring the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool at Amex Stadium (Image: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Alexis Mac Allister received a warm welcome when he made his return to his old stomping ground, Brighton and Hove Albion, on Wednesday night. The Argentine international was brought on as a substitute in the 64th minute during Liverpool’s thrilling 3-2 victory in the League Cup at the Amex Stadium.
The midweek clash marked the third time the World Cup champion has faced off against the Seagulls since his £35m move to the Reds in the summer of 2023.
Despite being responsible for Brighton’s first goal in a 2-2 stalemate on the South Coast last October, Mac Allister later assisted Mohamed Salah’s winning goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 triumph at Anfield in March.
He won’t have long to wait before he faces his former club again, with Liverpool set to host Brighton at Anfield in their next Premier League match on Saturday. It is anticipated that the 25 year old will be back in Arne Slot’s starting line-up.
However, while Mac Allister is the only ex-Seagull in Liverpool’s squad, things could have been different as several of his former colleagues have previously been on Liverpool’s transfer shortlist.
Liverpool famously missed out on signing Moises Caicedo last summer despite agreeing a whopping £111m deal with Brighton. The Ecuadorian international dug his heels in and forced a move to Chelsea instead.
Dr. Ian Graham, the Anfield club’s former director of research, has expressed his respect for Brightons transfer strategies, confessing to being an admirer of their acquisitions.
He reveals insights into behind-the-scenes dialogue in his latest book: “At Liverpool we admired both Brentford and Brighton’s signings, though we never told them that,” documented in ‘How to Win the Premier League: The Inside Story of Football’s Data Revolution. ‘.
Shedding light on the scouting process, Graham writes, “Me and my colleague Daf Steele used to keep lists of players who looked outstanding in their domestic leagues but were either not quite good enough for Liverpool or played in a style that didn’t fit ours..”
Continuing with specific examples, he notes: “Brighton also signed players on our radar. Pascal Gross performed at an above-average Premier League level while playing in the second division of the Bundesliga, and has played at that level for years for Brighton. Enock Mwepu was the best young midfielder in Austria..”
Further admiring counterparts, Graham acknowledges: “Marc Cucurella was easily a Premier League level player while playing in Spain, and when Chelsea paid a barely credible £62 million to sign him, Brighton immediately replaced him with the only young full-back in Spain who rated at a similar level, Pervis Estupinan.”
Despite the acclaim for Brighton’s astute market moves, Graham opens up about select oversights, especially one bright star: Kaoru Mitoma is the gem that got away, leaving Graham wishing Liverpool had placed him higher on their list.
“Kaoru Mitoma was the best player in Japan, rating above the Premier League average,” he penned. “It was very rare for us to rate a player in Japan anywhere near Premier League level.
“It’s still a source of regret to me that I didn’t insist that Mitoma be more seriously considered as a potential Liverpool signing.”
Mitoma made the switch from Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale to Brighton in August 2021 and was immediately loaned out to Belgian club Union SG for the season.
Upon his return to the Amex Stadium the next summer, Mitoma has impressively notched up 14 goals and 15 assists in 77 appearances for the Seagulls, including a dramatic last-gasp winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup in January 2023.
With Wednesday’s League Cup defeat being his only loss in five encounters with the Reds, Mitoma has consistently shown he can be a menace to Liverpool.
Nonetheless, despite Graham’s lament over not pushing for Mitoma’s move to Anfield, it’s arguable whether Liverpool would harbour the same regrets given their wealth of talent on the left-wing at the time.
Back when Mitoma was snapped up by Brighton in August 2021, Liverpool counted Sadio Mane as their top pick for the left forward position. They also had Diogo Jota, Takumi Minamino, and Divock Origi as wing options, and by the following January, they secured Luis Diaz from FC Porto for £49m, a player already established at a superior level and with Champions League experience.
While the former trio may have all left Anfield by the time Mitoma returned to Brighton after his successful loan spell in Belgium, Liverpool then secured Darwin Nunez in a deal worth up to a record-breaking £75m from Benfica to strengthen their attack.
Cody Gakpo was later signed from PSV Eindhoven the following January in a deal valued at up to £45m, during which time the Japanese player was making waves in his debut season in England.
Liverpool has also since recruited Federico Chiesa from Juventus for an initial £10m. Despite the Italian’s Anfield career being hampered by injury so far, club executives will undoubtedly be more than pleased with their attacking options and transfer decisions, despite Mitoma’s Premier League success with Brighton.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1970739/i-still-regret-signing-kaoru-mitoma-liverpool-i-should-have-insisted