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Arsenal ‘very interested’ in signing Red Star Belgrade midfielder Vasilije Kostov

By on March 4, 2026

Arsenal are ‘very interested’ in signing highly rated Serbian midfielder Vasilije Kostov from Red Star Belgrade, according to Calciomercato.it.

The attacking midfielder is widely viewed as one of Serbia’s most exciting emerging talents and has been highlighted by the International Centre for Sports Studies as the best Under-18 midfielder globally.

At just 17, Kostov earned promotion to the senior setup last summer and has swiftly become the club’s standout attraction, contributing 12 goals and six assists in 33 appearances across all competitions this season.

Since making his Serbian SuperLiga debut last April, he has cemented his place as a regular starter under Dejan Stanković. His rapid progress has also translated to the international stage, where he won his first senior cap for Serbia against Albania in November. At 17 years and five months, he became the third-youngest player to represent his country, behind Andrija Živković (17y, 92d) and Andrija Maksimović (17y, 4m, 7d).

Kostov’s performances have now piqued the interest of several clubs, including Arsenal, according to Calciomercato.it, which claims that the Premier League table toppers are ‘very interested’ in a swoop for the 17-year-old.

Best Under-18 midfielder in the world

The Gunners are looking to steal a march on other clubs, as the report adds that the North London outfit have already submitted a formal £17m opening bid, which Red Star rebuffed, with the club adamant on selling him for a record fee in the club’s history.

However, Arsenal face stern competition from Italian giants Inter Milan, who are looking to leverage their connections with former players Dejan Stanković and Aleksandar Kolarov to persuade the youngster to move to the San Siro, according to the report.

In a boost to the Gunners, the Italian outlet adds that Kostov dreams of a move to the Premier League amid interest from Inter, Bayern Munich, and Juventus.

Across Europe’s top five leagues, few managers can match Mikel Arteta’s current depth in midfield, with Martin Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, and Eberechi Eze added to an already established core featuring Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Ødegaard, and academy product Ethan Nwaneri, who has provided two goal contributions in five games for Marseille.

Yet, the club need to plan for the long term amid swirling rumours surrounding Martin Ødegaard’s future, making Kostov a valuable option to phase into the side and eventually take over a midfield position if the Norwegian departs.