Brighton CEO insists they don't need to sell players amid links with Man United

Brighton CEO Paul Barber has played down talks of winger Karou Mitoma leaving the club in the next transfer window.

It comes after reports that Manchester United have sent scouts to watch the Japan star in recent weeks, potentially with a view to bring him in over the summer.

Mitoma has been a key player for the Seagulls this season, scoring nine goals across all competitions including dramatic late winners against Liverpool and Bournemouth.

For Barber, the key thing was to focus on the rest of the season, as he told The Beautiful Game podcast: 'Obviously he's [Mitoma] another player that will be in the spotlight in the next transfer window.

'We're ready for that and we understand that, we just hope he can have a great second half of the season.'

He went on to suggest Brighton would not be forced into selling the winger, adding: 'We're very fortunate from a financial point of view that we're not a club that has to sell players to survive.'

The CEO felt that 'no right back in the league' would enjoy playing against Mitoma, and that even 'top level' players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold have 'had a hard time' against him.

If Brighton do hang on to Mitoma, it will buck a trend that has seen the club sell a number of key players in the past few years.

The likes of Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma, Neal Maupay, have all left the club since the end of last season, with Moises Caicedo also coming close to the door in January.

Leandro Trossard was another big-name exit when he joined Arsenal for £20 million, but Barber explained how his exit was the best move for all involved, and not one that the Seagulls were forced into.

'In the case Of Leandro, he did a fantastic job for our club for several seasons, he was our top scorer in the first half of the season,' he said.

'But he was also getting to 27/28 years of age his contract was beginning to run down, he was keen to build on the success he'd had in England and also with the Belgian national team.

'If a bigger club came in for him, provided the price was right, provided the contract was right for him, provided the time was right for us us, then we would be open minded to doing the deal.'

While Trossard has gone on to play an important role for Arsenal as they continue to challenge for the title, his absence does not appear to have been keenly felt at the AmEx.

Brighton currently sit seventh in the league, but only trail sixth place Liverpool on goal difference and have a game in hand.

They will next be in action against fellow over-achievers Brentford after the international break on April 1.