Overview
- Brighton confirmed on Wednesday that Jason Ayto had left the club nine months after joining in September 2025 as the club’s first sporting director.
- The club described the split as amicable and has assigned Ayto’s responsibilities to technical director Mike Cave so the existing senior team can run recruitment.
- Ayto will not lead Brighton’s summer transfer work, which opens on June 15, leaving Cave, chief executive Paul Barber and owner Tony Bloom to manage incoming and outgoing business.
- Commentators note this follows a short spell by another former Arsenal recruitment chief, Edu Gaspar, prompting questions about how well some recruits from Arsenal fit different club structures and decision-making models.
- Brighton’s reliance on an internal, data-driven continuity plan aims to limit disruption but leaves observers watching for changes in recruitment strategy and who will handle key negotiations this summer.