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David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano have firmly established themselves as football’s clear transfer heavyweights.

Once the season finishes and the transfer window opens, both journalists become essential follows for supporters who cannot get enough of breaking transfer news. They land more exclusives than almost anyone else in the industry – but which of the two has built the stronger record?

Here, we look at 10 significant transfers in which Ornstein beat Romano to the story.

Naturally, this remains a developing situation. Ornstein has not stated that this one is definitely happening. Only that it is very much a real possibility. It is surely the biggest transfer storyline of the summer.

Romano, meanwhile, has stayed notably quiet on the matter. You can draw your own conclusions from that.

Late on the evening of 19 June 2023, Ornstein exclusively reported that Arsenal were working on a deal to sign Netherlands international Jurrien Timber from Ajax.

“#AFC have made an opening offer worth ~£30m. #Ajax want ~£50m but optimism a compromise will be reached. Personal terms with Netherlands int’l thought to be in place,” the reporter posted at 10:46pm.

Only 13 minutes later, Romano shared the same update while acknowledging that Ornstein had broken it first.

As expected, the move was eventually completed. Both Ornstein and Romano posted further updates throughout the transfer saga, which was officially wrapped up around a month later, but the original exclusive belonged to Ornstein.

Football obsessives come in many different forms.

Some will always remember exactly where they were when their club lifted a long-awaited trophy. Others still have the precise view of a legendary goal etched into their memory.

But for a distinctly modern type of football fan, there will always be the memory of refreshing a Twitter feed and being hit by an ‘Ornstein bomba’ carrying a particularly tasty piece of transfer gossip.

Football in the 2020s is slightly strange, isn’t it?

Declan Rice to Arsenal was one of those moments, and it was Ornstein, predictably, who broke the story first.

At exactly 11:00pm on 27 June 2023, The Athletic’s leading transfer reporter revealed that the Gunners had lodged a British transfer record bid with West Ham for the midfielder.

Romano followed 16 minutes later.

On 2 June, Ornstein exclusively reported that the Brentford forward Ivan Toney preferred a move to Manchester United ahead of Newcastle United, Tottenham and Arsenal, all of whom had shown interest.

Romano posted the same information exactly 20 minutes afterwards.

The signs had been there throughout the summer 2024 transfer window that Scott McTominay could leave Old Trafford, but it was Ornstein who first revealed that Manchester United and Napoli had reached an agreement for the midfielder late in August.

Romano then posted the same update just two minutes later that afternoon.

It was the Gazza against Germany of transfer stories. Painfully close.

After Leeds United had suffered a bruising home defeat to Middlesbrough in 2024, Ornstein made matters worse for Leeds supporters by reporting that Brighton had triggered the release clause of the club’s popular forward Georginio Rutter.

Just before midnight, it emerged that Leeds had no way of preventing Rutter from leaving if he chose to accept the Seagulls’ proposal.

Sure enough, the transfer was completed over the following days.

Romano did not confirm the story until the following afternoon. Perhaps he really does sleep during the transfer window.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe initially seemed to leave open the possibility of Mason Greenwood returning to his parent club after his 2023-24 loan spell at Getafe.

However, it quickly became clear that the academy graduate would be sold, and it was Ornstein who first reported his eventual destination – Marseille.

In late June, he exclusively revealed that the Ligue 1 side were “exploring a deal” for Greenwood and that the player “favoured them over other options”.

Romano had posted regularly about Greenwood, but on this occasion he was behind his fellow reporter.

Roughly three weeks later, the move was completed.

Not long after Ornstein disclosed that the defender was set to move from one London club to another, Romano followed up and once again credited his fellow journalist.

He is particularly well known for his strong connections on stories involving Arsenal and Manchester United, but this case showed he is also extremely well informed when it comes to clubs around the country.

In early August 2024, Ornstein broke the news that Manchester United had submitted a double bid to strengthen Erik ten Hag’s defence.

With the process underway, an agreement was soon reached to sign both Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from the Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

Romano provided regular updates on the talks between the two clubs, but he acknowledged Ornstein’s exclusive.

“Chelsea contact Leicester City to express interest in signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. No formal bid yet but 25yo midfielder keen to join only #CFC if leaves #LCFC,” Ornstein posted on 27 June 2024.

“Seen as a perfect fit for style of play under head coach Enzo Maresca.”

The next day, he exclusively reported that Chelsea had in fact made a bid for Dewsbury-Hall.

A few days later, the transfer was completed.