Brighton & Hove Albion have not agreed a deal for Jakub Kaminski, but the 1. FC Koln attacker has become a live name to watch.
Reports in Germany say Kaminski has a €20million release clause that interested clubs must activate before mid-July.
That gives Albion a clear transfer clock.
BuliNews, citing Sport Bild, says Brighton are weighing up Kaminski after previously scouting Said El Mala. Sport Witness, relaying BILD and SportBILD, has also described Albion as one of the clubs closest to the deal, with other Premier League sides keen.
The supporter answer is simple enough: this is credible reported interest, not confirmation of a move.
But the deadline makes it more interesting than routine transfer noise.
Why The Mid-July Clause Matters For Brighton
The clause gives Brighton urgency.
If the reporting proves accurate, Albion cannot treat Kaminski as an open-ended option to revisit late in the window. They need to decide before the mid-July deadline whether the price, squad fit and timing justify action.
That kind of fixed route often suits Brighton’s recruitment model.
The club can compare a defined fee with alternatives, assess resale logic and judge whether Kaminski’s Bundesliga background fits Fabian Hurzeler’s squad.
Kaminski spent last season on loan at Koln from Wolfsburg before Koln made the move permanent.
Sport Witness reports Koln paid around €5.5million to complete that deal. BuliNews credits Kaminski with seven goals and five assists in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season.
Those numbers do not make him a guaranteed Brighton fit, but they explain the attention.
He gives Albion a versatile wide option at a fixed price, and fixed prices matter in a market that can move quickly.
Kaminski Has Left The Premier League Door Open
The strongest player-side signal is openness, not a pledge.
BuliNews carried comments from Kaminski in which he made clear that the Premier League appeals to him. Sport Witness also relayed quotes around his ambition to test himself in England.
Those lines matter because they make a move plausible if the right club and package arrive.
They do not mean Brighton have triggered the clause, agreed terms, placed a bid or reached an arrangement with Koln.
That distinction matters in a busy summer.
Albion have attacking questions, but they also have major defensive work to manage.
Van Hecke And Vuskovic Shape The Brighton Call
Brighton’s Kaminski decision cannot sit away from the wider squad picture.
ReadBrighton has already covered how Jan Paul Van Hecke’s reported Tottenham agreement showed Albion had reached their price, and that context changes the summer.
If Van Hecke leaves, Brighton may need to prioritise centre-back cover before they commit another major fee to a wide attacker.
ReadBrighton has also looked at why Luka Vuskovic’s transfer stance gives Albion a fresh Tottenham test. That situation shows how complicated the defensive rebuild could become.
In practical terms, Kaminski would compete with money, attention and squad space.
A €20million clause may look clean, but Brighton still need to decide where that money matters most.
Where Kaminski Could Fit
Kaminski has been discussed as a versatile wide attacker.
For Albion, that profile could offer competition, rotation and insurance across a season that includes European football.
The question is not only whether he has enough talent. It is whether his role would be clear.
Brighton demand intensity, adaptability and decision-making from wide players. Any recruit has to fit Hurzeler’s pressing demands and the club’s development pathway.
Kaminski looks like a sensible watch item because he offers output, age profile and top-flight experience.
But Brighton should not move only because a deadline exists.
They need to judge whether he improves the squad now without blocking a better long-term route.
The Supporter Takeaway
The cleanest reading is this: Kaminski is a credible reported target with a real clock attached.
The reported €20million clause gives the story urgency because it creates a deadline for any serious club.
That does not make the move advanced.
Until stronger Brighton-side confirmation arrives, supporters should treat this as one to monitor rather than one to expect.
Brighton can move before the clause expires, keep watching while accepting another club may act first, or decide the budget belongs elsewhere.
That is the transfer call created by the July deadline.
For Albion, patience still makes sense. The club need the right player, the right role and the right timing.
