Brighton have announced a record profit of £122.8m in the 2022-23 financial year – the most successful season in the Premier League club’s history.
Profit after tax increased annually by almost £100m from £24.1m, with turnover going up by 17.2% to a record £204.5m.
Albion finished sixth in the Premier League in 2022-23, reached the FA Cup semi-finals and also brought in huge transfer fees for several key players.
The figures can help more “significant progress” on the pitch, Brighton said.
“These accounts will of course catch the eye because of the headline number,” Brighton chief executive Paul Barber said.
“In a season when we made history on the pitch we took a huge step forward in terms of the club’s long-held aim of becoming more sustainable and less reliant on [Brighton owner] Tony Bloom’s incredibly generous levels of investment.”
Brighton have made a “substantial repayment” to Bloom for the first time, added Barber.
It means the club reduced the balance on Bloom’s interest-free loan, given in 2007, to £373.3m from £406.5m.
Brighton’s record figures come at a time when several of their Premier League rivals are facing sanctions for breaching rules by incurring heavy financial losses.
Everton were docked 10 points, reduced to six points on appeal, after recording losses of £125m over three years up to 2021-22.
On Monday, Everton reported financial losses of £89.1m in 2022-23.
Nottingham Forest have been docked four points, which they are appealing against, after their losses to 2022-23 breached the threshold of £61m by £34.5m.
Leicester City, relegated to the Championship last season, have been charged by the Premier League with allegedly breaking spending rules during their last three seasons in the top flight.
How did Brighton pull in the money?
A sizeable portion of Brighton’s income in 2022-23 was generated by their performances on the pitch and the ability to make a profit by selling players who arrived for much smaller fees.
Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi guided the club to the highest league finish in their 122-year history, as well as the FA Cup semi-finals for only the third time.
As a result, the club’s income from prize money and broadcasting revenue increased from £126.2m to £155.2m.
Selling four key players – Mali midfielder Yves Bissouma, Spain left-back Marc Cucurella, Belgium forward Leandro Trossard and Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister – led to a profit of £121m in transfers.
The £23m compensation received for De Zerbi’s predecessor Graham Potter, who moved to Chelsea with several of his backroom staff, also contributed to the record figures.
Player sales:
- June 2022: Yves Bissouma – Tottenham – £30m
- August 2022: Marc Cucurella – Chelsea – £60m
- January 2023: Leandro Trossard- Arsenal – £21m
- June 2023: Alexis Mac Allister – Liverpool – £35m
The end date for the 2022-23 accounts is 30 June last year.
Therefore they do not include the sales of Ecuador midfielder Moises Caicedo and Spain keeper Robert Sanchez, who both joined Chelsea in August 2023.
Caicedo was sold for £100m, which could rise to a British record £115m. Sanchez made the same move for £25m.
