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Transfer rumours: Kudus to Brighton, Sutalo to Forest, Maitland-Niles to Lyon

Transfer rumours: Kudus to Brighton, Sutalo to Forest, Maitland-Niles to Lyon
© Reuters
Sports Mole rounds up the latest transfer rumours, including Mohammed Kudus to Brighton & Hove Albion, Ainsley Maitland-Niles to Lyon and Josip Sutalo to Nottingham Forest.

Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Ajax attacker Mohammed Kudus.

The 23-year-old's future has been the subject of much debate over the past few months amid claims that several top sides have been after his signature.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are all believed to have been keeping tabs on Kudus's future, but he only has two years left to run on his Ajax contract.

However, The Athletic reports that Brighton have won the race to sign the Ghana international, having reached an agreement in principle with Ajax worth €40m (£34.6m).

The transfer will eclipse Brighton's current record signing, which was the £30m capture of Joao Pedro from Watford earlier this summer, and Kudus is close to agreeing personal terms with the Seagulls.

The attacker has amassed 23 goals and 11 assists in 84 matches for Ajax, but he has rejected the chance to extend his deal and is thought to be pining for a move elsewhere.

Croatia's Josip Sutalo during training on November 26, 2022© Reuters

Over at the City Ground, Nottingham Forest are apparently prepared to do battle with Arsenal for the signature of Dinamo Zagreb centre-back Josip Sutalo.

Tricky Trees boss Steve Cooper is keen to bolster his backline this summer, and Forest were initially believed to be working on a deal for Roma's Roger Ibanez.

However, Forest may now miss out on the 24-year-old, who is now expected to agree a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, and The Express claims that Sutalo has emerged as an ideal alternative.

The 23-year-old has established himself as a crucial player for Dinamo Zagreb over the past couple of seasons, winning three top-flight titles and producing six goals and four assists from 85 matches.

The report adds that Forest are now in dialogue with Dinamo Zagreb over a deal, but they may have to fend off interest from RB Leipzig, Ajax and West Ham United, while Arsenal have also been named as admirers.

Sutalo has made eight senior appearances for the Croatian national team - including their 2022 World Cup third-placed playoff win over Morocco - and he is not due to become a free agent until 2028.

Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles in action in July 2022© Reuters

Finally, ex-Arsenal man Ainsley Maitland-Niles is reportedly set to resume his career with Lyon after ending his 20-year association with the Gunners.

The 25-year-old - who had been on Arsenal's books since 2003 - fell down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta over the past couple of seasons and was allowed to leave in June when his contract expired.

Maitland-Niles spent the 2022-23 campaign on loan with Southampton following previous spells with West Bromwich Albion and Roma, but he was unable to prevent the Saints from dropping down to the Championship.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the five-cap England international is now on the brink of joining Lyon on a free transfer, and he has already agreed a four-year deal with Les Gones.

Maitland-Niles will reunite with former Gunners teammate Alexandre Lacazette at Lyon, as well as Jeff Reine-Adelaide, another ex-Arsenal youth product who has represented the French club for the past four years.

The versatile midfielder also played as a full-back and wing-back during his time at Arsenal, making 132 appearances and winning three FA Cups in North London.

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Ben Knapton

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
3Arsenal18106235161936
4Chelsea19105438231535
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle1995532211132
6Manchester CityMan City199463226631
7Bournemouth198652923630
8Fulham197842825329
9Aston Villa198562831-329
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton196942928127
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1973941281324
12Brentford187383232024
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham196582335-1223
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd196492126-522
15Crystal Palace194872027-720
16Everton183871524-917
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Ipswich TownIpswich1936101833-1515
19Leicester CityLeicester1935112242-2014
20Southampton1913151239-276


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