Brighton sign 18-year-old Kostoulas in £29.8m deal

Brighton person signed 18-year-old guardant Charalampos Kostoulas for £29.78m (35m euros) from Greek broadside Olympiakos.

The teen has signed a five-year statement that will commencement connected 1 July.

The woody represents by immoderate region nan highest interest ever received by a Greek club, beating nan £16.6m Wolves paid to sign Daniel Podence from Olympiakos successful 2020.

Brighton head Fabian Hurzeler said: "He wants to play successful nan Premier League and we are excited astir what he tin bring to nan team.

"He will springiness america different attacking options and we're looking guardant to helping him accommodate to his caller environment."

Should an add-on of £1.7m for Kostoulas beryllium paid during his clip astatine Brighton, it would make nan transportation a grounds woody for a Greek subordinate - topping nan £30.63m Napoli paid Roma for Kostas Manolas successful 2019.

Greece Under-21 world Kostoulas made his first-team debut successful 2024, having travel done Olympiakos' academy.

Kostoulas was a regular starter arsenic Olympiakos won nan prestigious UEFA Youth League successful 2024, beating Inter Milan and Bayern Munich connected their measurement to nan final, wherever they defeated AC Milan.

The guardant netted 7 goals successful 22 first-team convention appearances past season.

Greek supplier Giorgos Panou is credited pinch launching nan profession of superstar Milwaukee Bucks hoops subordinate Giannis Antetokounmpo and is now doing nan aforesaid successful shot pinch Brighton's caller striker Kostoulas.

Just arsenic he spotted Antetokounmpo, past a 2nd section Greek hoops subordinate successful 2013, he noticed Kostoulas, nicknamed 'Babis', aged 15.

When asked really nan 2 talents compare, Panou replied: "I felt nan aforesaid measurement erstwhile I first saw Babis playing 3 years agone successful an under-19s game, aged 15, to really I felt erstwhile I first saw Giannis.

"I sewage nan emotion instantly that he is cold-blooded, immense talent, pinch awesome assemblage connection and fresh to return connected older, bigger guys without emotion pressure. I saw a imaginable to grow."

Chelsea were credited pinch liking successful Kostoulas successful nan past, while Brighton are believed to person beaten immoderate of nan biggest clubs successful Germany to his signature. So why move to nan southbound coast? The reply is, perhaps, unsurprising.

"They won nan family and myself pinch really they talk, negotiate, springiness each nan devices to thrive and person a bully way grounds of processing akin young talents," Panou said.

"So we consciousness very comfortable, and I'm really judge that Babis will accommodate really accelerated successful this environment. It was a no-brainer for me."

The erstwhile Greece hoops adjunct coach, now brokering deals crossed 2 sports, believes this is simply a aureate era of Greek shot - pinch Stefanos Tzimas besides joining Brighton this summer, and PAOK prima Giannis Konstantelias expected to soon move to a apical 5 European league.