With the transfer window well and truly underway, here are some of the headline news stories making the rounds on social media and all of the major news outlets.
Arsenal close in on $8m deal for Kepa
Once the most expensive keeper in football history, Kepa Arrizabalaga had the world at his feet. Once, one of the most talented modern-day shot stoppers, Kepa, was a shining light in La Liga and should have been Spain’s number one for the next decade.
Unfortunately, an ill-fated move to Chelsea for a then-world record fee for a goalkeeper and a string of high-profile errors derailed what was supposed to be a glorious career.
Now aged thirty, the man from the Basque Country seeks pastures anew along with a new challenge to hopefully revitalise his career, and it would appear Arsenal would be his most likely destination. After news broke that Arsenal would be triggering his $8m release clause, there has been a bit of a divide amongst Arsenal fans.
Separate camps see the move as a good deal, while others see it as Arsenal signing another Chelsea reject. Kepa recently enjoyed a successful loan spell at Bournemouth FC, where he kept nine clean sheets and won one Save of the Month award.
Jobe Bellingham closing in on $45m move to Borussia Dortmund
Living in the shadow of a famous or successful older sibling can sometimes be debilitating. They suck up all the oxygen in a room, they cast a large shadow, and sometimes, they dim others light. So, when it came time for Jobe, the younger brother of Galactico Jude Bellingham, to make his debut for Ipswich Town, the weight of expectation may have been too much to bear. The constant criticisms and comparisons became something of an albatross around Jobe’s neck. However, Jobe chose to go where there wasn’t a looming shadow of his brother.
He chose to make it on his own and do it by his merits. In the end, a move to Sunderland paid off as Jobe was one of the standout players in a team that recently secured promotion back to the Premier League after a lengthy spell out of England’s top-flight. However, that success has brought him once again into the halls a place Jude once called home.
Recently, David Ornstein of The Athletic reported that a $45m deal had been agreed upon for Jobe, just like his brother, to swap England for Germany and make the now-hallowed move to Borussia Dortmund, just as his brother did a few years ago.
Hopefully, Jobe can get out of the shadow of his brother and show everyone that he is not another Jude regen, and prove that he is equally, if not even more, talented than his famous brother. Jobe will also be in Dortmond with a fellow Englishman, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
Bynoe-Gittens to Chelsea.
Staying in Germany, it would appear as if, Jobe may find himself as the only Englishman in Dortmond as Chelsea continue to negotiate for the services of Jamie Bynoe-Gittens. Dortmund recently turned down a sizeable offer from Chelsea for his services. Personal terms are not expected to be an issue, as a seven-year deal is reported to have already been agreed upon.
With Club World Cup action already on the horizon, Chelsea will no doubt be looking to add more quality attacking options to their frontline, which was clearly misfiring last season.
Having already secured the services of former Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, Chelsea may be building an all-English attack for next season, given that they already have the likes of Palmer, Maduakie and now Gittens. The future of Chelsea is clearly English; could these talented crops of Englishmen lead Chelsea back to the top of European football?
Brighton bid €40m for Charalampos Kostoulas, with talks continuing with Olympiacos.
Brighton & Hove Albion has officially submitted a €40 million (£34 million; $45.6 million) bid for Olympiacos striker Charalampos Kostoulas. The club is currently engaged in negotiations with the Greek Super League outfit after The Athletic reported on May 16 that an initial offer of approximately £30 million plus Abdallah Sima was made for the 18-year-old, widely considered one of Europe’s most promising young talents.
Olympiacos turned down the proposal that included Sima, 23, who has been loaned out by Brighton to various clubs, including Brest, Angers, Glasgow Rangers, and Stoke City, since his transfer from Slavia Prague in 2021. The Greek club is seeking a sell-on clause to be incorporated into any deal.
Kostoulas played a pivotal role in Olympiacos’s success in the youth version of the Champions League during the 2023-24 season, scoring five goals in eight appearances. He has also made a significant impact with the first team in both the Greek Super League and Europa League this season, contributing seven goals and two assists across a total of 30 matches in those competitions.
With the transfer window well and truly in action, there will be many more twists and turns along the way.
Source Skysports.com