Teddy Sheringham has a simple remedy for Manchester United’s goal-shy winter: raid the club two places off the top of the Premier League.
The former United striker told Goal that Kostoulas is the one January signing he would push the club to make, insisting United “need to get him in quickly” before his price climbs out of reach. Sheringham called the Greek teenager “the next centre-forward to go for big money” and said he already carried himself like a finished article at 19.
Kostoulas arrived from Olympiacos for £29.7m
Brighton paid Olympiacos a reported £29.7m for Kostoulas in June 2025, a fee the Greek press flagged as the biggest ever received by a club from the country’s top flight. The deal tied Kostoulas, then 18, to Brighton on a five-year contract.
His biggest afternoon so far came on 19 September, when he scored on the stroke of half-time in Brighton’s 3-0 home win over defending champions Arsenal, the result that ended the Gunners’ unbeaten start to the campaign. He has registered five goals and three assists in ten appearances across all competitions this season.
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Brighton under no pressure to sell
Any January approach would hit Brighton’s leverage head-on. Fabian Hurzeler’s side sit second in the Premier League and have Kostoulas tied down to 2030. Arsenal have been monitoring the teenager, though recent reporting frames Mikel Arteta’s interest as a long-term watch rather than a winter raid.
Brighton’s valuation of Kostoulas has been floated in the €60-70m range in recent reports.
Carrick under scrutiny at 18th
The recommendation lands at a bleak moment for United. The club are 18th in the Premier League with eight points from ten games after a 4-4 draw at home to Aston Villa, and head coach Michael Carrick’s position is being weighed internally.
Mauricio Pochettino, Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are among the names being floated as possible successors should Carrick be dismissed before the January window opens on 1 January.
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