Brighton and Hove Albion posted a profit of £73.3m for their 2023/24 season after their Europa League appearance kept them in the black.
The pre-tax profit follows positive accounts a year prior, where the club made a profit of £130.7m.
A significant chunk of the earnings Brighton, whose chairman is Tony Bloom, made came from the £115m transfer fee for Caicedo and the £25m payment for Sanchez – both to Chelsea – while the Stamford Bridge club handed Brighton £62m for Marc Cucurella and £21.5m for Graham Potter the year prior.
Turnover for the year ending 20 June 2024 hit over £220m, the highest in the club’s history for a 12-month period.
Hit the ground running
Bloom said: “Roberto De Zerbi oversaw the Premier League and Europa League campaign and provided us with some incredible matches and memorable moments — not least winning home and away against Ajax and that sensational night against Marseille at the American Express Stadium.
“Our women’s team came through a testing campaign to secure their Women’s Super League status, but the work Mikey Harris undertook at the end of the season raised levels on and off the pitch and paved the way for Dario Vidosic to hit the ground running this season.
“With new head coaches and revamped backroom teams — featuring new and old faces — in place for both the men’s and women’s senior teams we are delighted with the early signs for both under Fabian Hurzeler and Dario respectively.”
Liverpool, on the other hand, posted a £57m loss for last season having missed out on Champions League football.
Brighton healthy
Added Bloom: “Overall, the accounts show another healthy profit for the period. We’ve stayed competitive on the field while also making some significant investments in terms of transfer dealings ahead of that June deadline.
“The hard work, expertise and professionalism of our board of directors, executive team, and entire staff continues to provide the platform to make this all possible. I remain incredibly proud of our club and all who work here, and I would like to thank all our staff for their ongoing efforts.
“In recent months our chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber has outlined a medium to long-term strategic plan for our club, under the title of Vision 2030. His work here, alongside how he leads the club day to day, further underline his exceptional leadership skills, and it is very reassuring to know he’s committed to our club until at least 2030.”