Football Insider journalist Connor Humm revealed on 21 February that Chelsea want to sign Mitoma as they are looking to strengthen their attacking options. However, Brown has explained they may be reluctant to spend the type of money Brighton will ask for as there are concerns about his consistency.

Reports on the bid from Al-Nassr vary drastically, ranging from the £55m mark up to £90m for a player Brighton plucked from Kawasaki Frontale for around £2.5m in 2021. After a brief loan in Belgium with Union SG, the Seagulls were so confident they allowed Leandro Trossard to go to Arsenal for £30m, knowing Mitoma was ready to unleash.

Karou Mitoma is open to leaving Brighton for a Champions League club in the summer with Bayern Munich and Napoli interested.

Brighton and Japan winger Kaoru Mitoma will not be distracted by transfer talk as he is told how to keep improving with and without the ball

Mitoma was running a full speed and under pressure from Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah as he gathered goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen’s long pass with effortless ease. The 27-year-old then cut inside and curled his shot beyond the dive of visiting keeper Filip Jörgensen.

Tony Bloom - Brighton's chairman - has previously indicated that he sees Chelsea as his 'favourite customers', referring to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital having shelled close to £200m for head coach Graham Potter and two players in Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo.