'Medical today' – Brighton to seal £34m signing as Joao Pedro exit moves closer

Brighton are said to be putting the final touches on another major summer transfer as Charalampos Kostoulas is set to arrive.

The Seagulls are believed to have agreed a £34m deal with Olympiacos for the teenage striker.

Kostoulas, 18, impressed in the Super League Greece with seven goals from 22 matches last term and also attracted interest from Chelsea and Tottenham.

Kostoulas also has two goals in two outings for Greece under-21s, where he has played alongside Stefanos Tzimas – who also signed for Brighton from FC Nürnberg for around £22m.

Sports broadcaster Ben Jocobs posted: "Charalampos Kostoulas is set for a Brighton medical on Wednesday. 18-year-old will join from Olympiacos for around £34m."

What it means for Joao Pedro

The arrival of Kostoulas could pave the way for Joao Pedro's exit. Pedro is widely tipped to leave the club this summer with Newcastle and Liverpool reportedly keen on Albion's Brazilian star.

Pedro has impressed with Brighton for past two seasons but fell out of favour with head coach Fabian Hurzeler towards the end of last term.

Pedro received a needless red card and three match suspension during a 4-2 loss at Brentford and was then omitted from the last two matches following a training ground clash Brighton defender Jan Paul Van Hecke.

Brighton hope to achieve at least double the £30m they paid Watford for Pedro in 2023.

Brighton striking options

Danny Welbeck, 34, was the main man up front for the Seagulls last season with 10 goals in the Premier League. Welbeck is expected to feature heavily once again but his minutes will likely be managed as he enters the later stages of his career.

£40m record signing Georginio Rutter should also be fit and firing again after his ankle injury saw him miss the latter part of last season, while Brighton still need to make decisions on Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso who return from loans from West Ham and Ipswich respectively.

The arrival of Kostoulas and Tzimas will certainly boost Hurzeler's options for next season. It's unlikely the club spent a combined total of around £56m for them to sit on the bench. Expect them to be key players next term.

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