Since joining English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2021 from German Bundesliga side Union SG, the Japanese international has had several impressive performances. He also impressed during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The question being asked here is, has Mitoma’s performance at Brighton caught the eye of the elite football clubs? Find out more right here.
Who is Kaoru Mitoma?
Kaoru Mitoma is a 25-year-old men’s professional footballer currently playing for EPL (English Premier League) side Brighton & Hove Albion. The right-footed winger wears the number 22 shirt, and he was born in Kawasaki, Japan, in May 1997.
He began his senior career in his home country, playing for Kawasaki Frontale between 2020 and 2021. During his time here, he scored 21 goals in 50 appearances before a brief loan spell at Union SG, which saw him score 7 goals in 27 matches.
These two impressive club performances were enough to catch the eye of Brighton, who signed him in August 2021. Since joining the Seagulls, he has played 14 games and scored 4 goals. On an international level, he has played 13 goals for Japan, scoring 5 goals.
Recent performances
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9a6HgjiAGE
Since coming back from international duty at the world cup, he has been a key player for Brighton. Although he scored 1 goal at home to Arsenal on December 31st, it wasn’t enough to beat the Gunners. The final score was 4-2 Arsenal.
He then went on to open the scoresheet in Brighton’s impressive 4-1 away win against Everton at Goodison Park on January 3rd. Brighton’s next game was a 5-1 away win in the third round of the FA Cup against Middlesbrough on January 7th.
On January 14th, Brighton secured an impressive 3-0 home win against Liverpool, and then on January 21st, Brighton travelled away to Leicester in a match that ended in a 2-2 draw. Mitoma also opened the score sheet in this game, but it wasn’t quite enough to secure a win against The Foxes.
Which elite club could Mitoma move to if he leaves Brighton?
To find out just how likely it is that Mitoma will move to an elite club, the best thing to do would be to check the latest odds. Heading over to ikasaman.com would be a great place to start because it has the latest reviews for some of today’s most trusted online bookmakers with competitive odds for a wide range of sports betting odds.
All of these sites featured on this trusted review site are controlled by reputable operators with solid reputations. They are free to sign up to, and they all currently have a guaranteed welcome bonus for all new players.
Some websites have markets for where Mitoma might end up next. However, the odds are currently favouring him staying at Brighton until the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Can Brighton win the Premier League outright with Mitoma?
Again, to get a better understanding of just how likely it is that Brighton can win the EPL with Mitoma, the best thing to do would be to check out the latest odds. For example, right now, it’s not looking too good for Brighton, who are currently only the sixth odds-on favourite team to win the Premier League outright, behind Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Manchester City, and odds-on favourites Arsenal.
If you were to bet on Brighton to win the Premier League right now, you would be looking at huge odds of around 500/1 in UK fractional odds, which is 50,000 in American/moneyline odds and 501.00 in European decimal odds. It also means that they only have a 0.2% implied probability rate of winning.
In comparison, the odds-on favourites, Arsenal, are priced at 4/5 (-125, or 1.80), with a whopping 55.60% chance of winning the Premier League outright. Despite Arsenal having great odds at the moment, don’t forget that no bet is guaranteed. Also, to place a real money wager at a fully licensed online bookmaker, you must be at least 18 years old.
Who does Mitoma face next with Brighton?
Brighton’s next Premier League game is on Saturday, February 18th, against Fulham at home (known for sponsorship purposes as the American Express Community Stadium but more commonly referred to as the Amex Stadium).
They travel to Stoke City on February 28th to play in the fifth round of the FA Cup, and then on March 4th, they are back home for more Premier League action against West Ham. The Seagulls then travel to Elland Road on March 11th to play Leeds United away in the Premier League, and then in their next league game on March 16th, they host Crystal Palace at home.
Where are Brighton in the league right now?
At the time of writing, Brighton are currently in sixth position, which is higher than the likes of Chelsea (9th) and Liverpool (10th). They have played 21 games, won 10, drawn 5, and lost 6, and they have scored 39 and let in 28, which gives them a 35+ goal difference.
If Brighton keep on winning and end up in fifth place at the end of the season, they will automatically qualify for a spot in the UEFA Europa League. If they finish the season in the top four, they will qualify for UEFA Champions League football!
Final note
If Mitoma’s performances continue to improve, and one of the big clubs does come calling, there’s a chance he could end up at any of the Premier League’s big six clubs (e.g., Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, or Manchester City).
Some of the other notable elite clubs around Europe that he could also move to are Club Brugge (Belgium), Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona (Spain), Paris Saint-Germain (France), or Ajax (Netherlands).
He could also end up at Porto (Portugal), Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund (Germany), or in Italy at Napoli, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, or Roma. At the time of writing, it’s anybody’s guess as to where he could end up.
Before placing a real money wager on any upcoming football matches, try to conduct your own research. In other words, stay up to date with the latest team news because it can help you place more strategic bets that are far more likely to occur.