Arsenal are nearing an agreement to sign exciting Serbian attacking midfielder Vasilije Kostov from Red Star Belgrade, according to Serbian outlet Sportinjo, as relayed by Sport Witness.
Regarded as one of Serbia’s brightest young prospects, the attacking midfielder has even been recognised by the International Centre for Sports Studies as the best Under-18 midfielder in world football.
A place in the senior squad came last summer, when he was only 17, and since then, Kostov has quickly become the standout figure at his club, scoring 14 goals and providing seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions this season.
His rise began after his Serbian SuperLiga debut in April, when he secured a regular starting role under head coach Dejan Stanković, and his progress has continued on the international stage.
His first senior cap for the Serbia national team came in last November’s international break in a match against Albania. At 17 years and five months, he became the third-youngest player to represent his country, behind Andrija Živković and Andrija Maksimović.
Such a meteoric rise at both club and international levels has not gone unnoticed, with Sports Witness citing Sportinjo, reporting that Arsenal are among the clubs showing the most concrete interest in Kostov.
Kostov to Arsenal
It appears the Gunners are set to trump other interested clubs to acquire the youngster’s signature, as the report adds that the Premier League leaders are ‘on the verge of an agreement’ for the attacking midfielder’s transfer to the Emirates Stadium next summer.
Kostov is now believed to be ‘packing his bags’ to move to London this week after the North Londoners agreed a deal worth £10m in fixed fees and add-ons, which could see the total fee potentially rise to £20m, according to the report.
Used predominantly as a No. 10 in Red Star’s 4-4-2 setup this season, Kostov has also featured in deeper midfield positions and on the right wing, making him an attractive proponent for Mikel Arteta due to his dynamism.
In addition to that flexibility, he brings relentless energy, a dependable defensive contribution, and a tendency for spectacular moments, as demonstrated by his brilliant half-volley in the 2-1 defeat to Porto last October.
Despite Arsenal’s strong midfield depth, long-term planning remains essential, particularly amid ongoing uncertainty over Martin Ødegaard’s future, which makes Kostov an appealing option to gradually integrate into the squad and potentially step into a midfield role should the Norwegian move on.
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