Kaoru Mitoma could've made Liverpool transfer - 'Source of regret'

Ian Graham, former director of research, has detailed how he wishes he had pushed the Reds to sign .

Back in August 2021, Brighton announced the signing of the Japanese star from Kawasaki Frontale for $3.2m (£2.5m/€3m), with Mitoma then being sent out on loan to Union Saint-Gilloise, a club part owned by Seagulls owner Tony Bloom. Following a season in Belgium, Mitoma returned to Brighton, enjoying an incredible season during the 2022/23 campaign which saw the Seagulls finish sixth.

Mitoma played a huge part in helping Brighton qualify for the Europa League, scoring 10 goals and registering eight assists in all competitions. Given the relatively cheap outlay Brighton spent on the now 27-year-old, the performances he produced were nothing short of miraculous in his debut Premier League campaign.

And while he struggled with injuries last term, Graham has revealed in his new book, 'How to Win the Premier League: The Inside Story of Football's Data Revolution', he wished he had lobbied the Reds harder to sign Mitoma.

"At Liverpool we admired both Brentford and Brighton’s signings, though we never told them that," Graham wrote. "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…

"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…

"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."

After lavishing praise upon Brighton, Graham then explained how he still regrets not having brought Mitoma to Anfield, adding further he wishes he'd pushed harder for the Reds to sign the Japanese winger.

Graham continued: "Kaoru Mitoma was the best player in Japan, rating above the Premier League average.

"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."

Liverpool.com says: "Given the relatively small outlay Brighton spent on Mitoma $3.2m (£2.5m/€3m) and what he has managed to produce so far during his Premier League career, we can see why Graham regrets not being able to have brought the Japanese winger to Anfield. The 27-year-old is a wonderful player and proof that there is talent out there available at a cheaper price if teams can manage to nurture and coax out that quality from them."