Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has joked he has told the club’s cleaning staff “to be careful” from approaches from Chelsea.
The Blues have raided the south coast club over the last few months, first signing defender Marc Cucurella before bringing manager Graham Potter to Stamford Bridge.
Most of Potter’s backroom staff followed him to west London, along with head of recruitment Paul Winstanley, who now forms part of a transfer ‘think tank’ at Chelsea.
There was also an interest in Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo over the course of the January transfer window, while teammate Alexis Mac Allister has been touted as a potential target.
More recently, Seagulls boss Roberto De Zerbi has been tipped to replace Potter at Stamford Bridge during a difficult few months.
Speaking to at the FT’s Business of Football summit, Barber said: “I am happy to pick up the phone to Chelsea apart from when it’s for our coaches.
“I have told the cleaning staff to be careful, they may be headhunted as well.”
