Andrea Berta stunned as Arsenal learn €20m midfielder has ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to join Inter Milan – report | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta are set to be disappointed in their quest to bring Vasilije Kostov to the Emirates Stadium, with a report claiming that Inter Milan could win the race for his signature.

Reports emerged in the January transfer window about Arsenal’s desire to sign Kostov, with The Sun claiming that the north London club were tracking the 17-year-old Serbia international attacking midfielder.

Football.London subsequently backed that claim about Arsenal’s interest in Kostov, who has scored 11 goals and given six assists in 35 appearances for the Red Star Belgrade first team so far in his career.

The Mirror, too, reported Arsenal’s interest in the teenager, describing him as the ‘Balkan Barella’ and ‘Serbian Pedri’ due to his ‘admirable technical quality’.

Red Star Belgrade chief Zvezdan Terzic told the publication on January 22, 2026:  “I can’t talk about exactly who has called but we have already received an offer worth €20million (£17.5m, $23.6m) for him.”

Sports Boom has now brought an update on Kostov’s future, and it is bad news for Arsenal manager and sporting director Berta.

The report has claimed that the youngster is set to join Italian giants Inter Milan in the summer transfer window.

Although there is interest from Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Hove Albion, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in Kostov, ‘a gentleman’s agreement’ is said to be in place for Inter to snap him up this summer.

Nikola Kolarov, who manages the affairs of Kostov, wants the attacking midfielder to move to Inter for a transfer fee in excess of €20m (£17.5m, $23.6m).

Given that Arsenal have established stars in their attacking midfield, missing out on Kostov to Inter is not going to hurt them in the short term.

However, like all major clubs, Arsenal are always on the hunt for promising young talents who can become superstars in the future.

One must note, though, that it is just one source reporting that Kostov is set to join Inter.

We need to wait for other media outlets to back this claim, but, as things stand, it does not look very good for Arsenal in regard to signing Kostov.