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  1. 'If he's good enough, then play him... don't loan him out' - fans on Kostoulas

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    Charalampos Kostoulas in action for OlympiakosGetty Images

    Following the news that Brighton have agreed a deal to sign 18-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas from Olympiakos, we asked for your views on the move for the teenage forward.

    Here are some of your comments:

    Paul: I'm concerned his decision making on the ball seems really poor. He seems to base a lot of his play around take-ons and dummies he won't be able to get away with in the Premier League. I do ultimately trust the club on this, however.

    Fran: New signing looks like one for the future - but if he is good enough, then play him. Don't spend that much money and send him out on loan. Ideally, we need an experienced striker, one who can get at least 15 goals a season. Same with young Watson. Don't keep signing youngsters for the future - play them now if they are good enough.

    Roger: Kostoulas' arrival at Brighton will either hasten the exit of Evan Ferguson or motivate the young Irishman to drill down and regain the form he has already proved himself capable of. Kostoulas has yet to prove himself in the Premier League environment.

    Gordon: He's coming to the best finishing school in football.

    Tony: If recent strategy is anything to go by, he'll be off on loan somewhere, and it will be interesting to see how he develops.

  2. Kostoulas guided by NBA superstar's mentor

    Nizaar Kinsella
    BBC Sport football news reporter

    Charalampos KostoulasGetty Images

    Greek agent Giorgos Panou is credited with launching the career of superstar Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and is now doing the same in football with Brighton's soon-to-be new striker Charalampos Kostoulas.

    Just as he spotted Antetokounmpo, then a second division Greek basketball player in 2013, he spotted Kostoulas, nicknamed "Babis", aged 15.

    He is now on the verge of a record breaking £29.78m transfer to Brighton and when asked how the two talents compare, Panou replied: "I felt the same way when I first say Babis playing three years ago in an under-19s game, aged 13, to how I felt when I first saw Giannis.

    "I got the feeling immediately that he is cold-blooded, immense talent, with great body language and ready to take on older, bigger guys without feeling pressure. I saw a potential to grow."

    Chelsea have been credited with interest in Kostoulas in the past while Brighton are believed to have beaten some of the biggest clubs in Germany to his signature. So why move to the south coast? The answer is, perhaps, unsurprising.

    "They won the family and myself with how the talk, negotiate, give all the tools to thrive and have a good track record of developing similar young talents," Panou added. "So we feel very comfortable, and we think I'm really sure that Babis will adapt really fast in this environment. It was a no brainer for me."

    The former Greek basketball national team assistant coach, now brokering deals across two sports, believes this is a golden era of Greek football with Stefanos Tzimas also joining Brighton from Nurnberg this summer, while fellow Olympiakos talent Christos Mouzakitis, Genk attacker Konstantinos Karetsas and PAOK star Giannis Konstantelias are expected soon to move to a top five European league club.

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  8. Brighton move for Greek teenager Kostoulas - have your say

    Charalampos KostoulasGetty Images

    So, with Brighton having agreed a deal with Olympiakos for 18-year-old forward Charalampos Kostoulas, we want your views.

    What do you make of the signing? Has your scouting department unearthed another gem? And where do you see the youngster's place in Fabian Hurzeler's squad?

    Let us know here

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  9. Who is 'wonderkid' Kostoulas?

    Tasnim Chowdhury
    BBC Sport journalist

    Charalampos Kostoulas on an Ask Me Anything graphic

    BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team have been answering transfer related questions and have received one about incoming Brighton forward Charalampos Kostoulas.

    Steve in Brighton asked: I understand Brighton are signing a £34m 'wonderkid'. Any truth and who is he?

    We answered: Brighton are indeed set to sign Olympiakos striker Charalampos Kostoulas for about £29.7m (35m euros) on a five-year deal.

    The deal represents by far the highest fee ever received by a Greek club, beating the £16.6m Wolves paid to sign Daniel Podence from Olympiakos in 2020.

    Coming up through Olympiakos' academy, Kostoulas won the Uefa Youth League in 2024 and has impressed in the first team.

    He became the youngest goalscorer in the Greek Super League at 17 years, five months and 11 days.

    The 18-year-old Greece Under-21 international completed his first season with seven goals in 35 appearances, as well as two trophies - the league title and the Greek Cup.

    Kostoulas also has European football experience, featuring in eight of Olympiakos' Europa League matches.

    He is the son of former Olympiakos and Greece defender Athanasios Kostoulas, while his brother, Konstantinos, is on loan to Rio Ave from Olympiakos.

    What is Ask Me Anything?

    Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.

    We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.

    The team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and pundits.

    We will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting events.

    Our coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio.

    Send in your question to BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team here

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  22. Igor will have 'a lot of suitors wanting to take him' from Brighton

    Igor JulioGetty Images

    A number of clubs will try to sign defender Igor Julio this summer, according to the panel on BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast.

    Igor made just 13 Premier League appearances because of injuries last season, and with Brighton linked to a number of defenders it might not be a surprise to see him head the other way.

    Podcast host Cantor believes a number of clubs will not be put off by his lack of game time.

    "Igor will probably have a lot of interest in him. I know he's been unlucky with injuries, but at times we saw good - particularly during the European campaign and then a partnership with Van Hecke - before the injury.

    "We always say he looks like he's playing with a cigar in his mouth, but actually he's a very capable player. He's not too old. There should be plenty of people happy to take him if Albion decide to sell him."

    Former Seagulls forward Warren Aspinall added: "He's got a good pedigree under his belt. When he plays for Brighton, he's been very good barring the Leicester game.

    "Since then, he's come back from injury and slotted in well. He can play as a left-back too, so I think there will be a lot of suitors wanting to take him."

    You can listen to the full chat here

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