The January transfer window is nearly upon us. Football’s sporting directors and recruitment heads are hunting down their chosen targets with a fervour not seen since the last one.
Manchester United and Real Madrid are as big as they come but both have compelling reasons to strengthen their playing staff, not only for the remainder of the 2024-25 season but with the future in mind too.
The pair of football behemoths are among a clutch of clubs that have reportedly set their sights on the same player, a long-term prospect currently learning his trade in the Greek Super League with his country’s most successful club.
Who is Charalampos Kostoulas?
Olympiacos haven’t added to their 47 domestic titles since 2021-22 but lead the league ahead of AEK Athens and PAOK this season. Their youngest ever player has broken into the first team and helped fire them to the top of the table with three goals in eleven Super League appearances.
Charalampos Kostoulas has attracted the attention of Man United and Real Madrid with his performances this season, and has played and scored for Greece’s Under-21 side despite only turning 17 in May.
Reporting from Caught Offside indicates that Kostoulas is playing under the gaze not only of United and Real Madrid but also of Bayern Munich and West Ham United.
According to sources, Olympiacos are prepared to cash in on their highly rated in-demand wonderkid and could sell him ‘for around €20million’ to provide the funds they need to strengthen their own hand in the race for the title.
Striker Kostoulas would be a signing for the future for any club able to secure a deal and would be the latest addition of that type for Man United, whose youth acquisitions under INEOS look rather more impressive than some of those who’ve been brought in for the first team.
Kostoulas is a physically impressive striker who’s making waves in men’s football against more experienced defenders. He’s played five times in the Europa League, starting the last two against FCSB and Twente. He’s yet to get off the mark in Europe but it’s only a matter of time.
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim will be keen to bring in a more senior centre forward sooner rather than later if possible. Only five of United’s Premier League goals in 2024-25 have been scored by pure strikers, three by Joshua Zirkzee and two by Rasmus Hojlund.
In FourFourTwo's opinion, Kostoulas would initially be a promising backup option if Amorim can get his attacking unit firing at Old Trafford and INEOS is able to get its very young man. Who knows – beyond next season, Kostoulas might be just the player they need.
