IMAGINE getting up early with a burning hangover to play university football and you’re directly up against Kaoru Mitoma (£2.3m).
That was almost certainly the brutal reality for at least a couple of students as recently as 2019, when the Japan international was studying at the University of Tsukuba having turned down a professional contract with Kawasaki Frontale.
The 25-year-old did eventually sign with the top-flight club and enjoyed two prosperous seasons before being snapped up Brighton, arguably the Premier League’s smartest recruiters.
He spent last season on loan at Royal Union Saint-Gilloise, scoring eight goals and providing four assists for the Belgian club.
And now, quicker than expected, he’s become a regular starter for the Seagulls and a key player too.
gettyYet another success story for Brighton’s recruitment team[/caption]
Leandro Trossard’s (£4.3m) dispute with Roberto De Zerbi worked in Mitoma’s favour but the quick-footed winger has worked his way up the pecking order through a series of impressive performances.
He’s scored five goals and provided two assists in his last ten games at club level and has captivated fans with his enterprising dribbling and electric acceleration.
Mitoma actually wrote a thesis on dribbling as a university student, an act that taught him to keep his head up whenever possible, but it’s clear he was born with the necessary tools to become an elite athlete, attributes that can’t be learned from a book.
Sixth-placed Brighton have only tasted defeat once since the restart and that an entertaining 4-2 loss to table-toppers Arsenal.
This weekend, they drew 2-2 at Leicester and it was Mitoma who opened the scoring with a pinpoint curling effort from the edge of the box.
And from a Dream Team perspective it was a particularly profitable excursion because he also swooped the Star Man award to bank 13 points, his joint-best single-game haul so far.
Mitoma has gotten the best of several right-back this season
Mitoma has now produced 60 points across the last eight Game Weeks.
At just £2.3m he’s the latest Brighton midfielder to off superb value for money in the world of Dream Team.
Pascal Gross (£3.4m) flew out of the blocks before passing the mantle to Alexis Mac Allister (£3.5m); recently Solly March (£2.6m) has provided healthy returns but now Mitoma has grabbed the spotlight.
Dream Team bosses in need of a cheap midfield asset capable of ticking over should permanently have one eye on the Amex Stadium, especially while De Zerbi’s tactics continue to ensure plenty of goals to go around.
There isn’t a right-back in the land who isn’t at least partially wary of facing Mitoma on current form.