Arsenal ‘very close’ to signing £38m playmaker as ‘key’ to shock teen transfer revealed
Arsenal are reportedly ‘very close to an agreement’ with Genk to sign Konstantinos Karetsas for around £38m as the ‘key’ to his shock transfer has been revealed.
Reports have claimed that the Gunners are set for a “big” summer as new sporting director Andrea Berta works to bring in several new players to bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad, though while their rivals confirm signings and push to complete more transfers in this early transfer window, Arsenal are yet to get going.
They still appear to be deciding whether to plump for Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko to become their new No.9, there’s no evidence that they have made progress in their bid to land a new left winger, and even their supposed done deal for Martin Zubimendi is now in doubt, with Real Madrid now pushing to hijack their £51m move for the Real Sociedad midfielder.
Zubimendi has dismissed claims that he’s set to sign for the Gunners on international duty and admitted new Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso was his “idol”, sparking president Florentino Perez to put the wheels in motion to sign him for Los Blancos.
When asked about potentially joining Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid, Zubimendi said: “I have always said that he was my idol and that for me it was lucky that he was able to coach me in the reserve team in a very important year.
“The following year I was already in the first team and, well, I don’t like to talk about those hypotheses, I prefer to talk about the present, because I also think that it would be disrespectful to answer from the national team training camp and before facing such an important competition.”
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But in something of a left-field move, it’s claimed they are ‘in advanced discussions with Genk’ over a deal for Karetsas.
Reports in March claimed Liverpool were in attendance to watch Karetsas in action for Greece in their 3-0 win over Scotland in the Nations League, and were treated to the 17-year-old becoming Greece’s youngest-ever goalscorer.
Manchester United and Newcastle were also keeping a beady eye on the teenager, while Chelsea and PSG have also been keeping tabs on the playmaker, and Bayern Munich have been engaged in a ‘very intense flirtation for three months’, according to Greek outlet AMNA.
But Arsenal have very much ‘taken the lead in acquiring him’, with the Gunners reportedly now ‘very close to an agreement with the Belgian team for a total amount that will reach €45m [£38m], plus some goal and appearance bonuses’
The transfer would make Karetsas the most expensive transfer of a Greek footballer ever, beating the €36m Napoli paid Roma for Kostas Manolas in the summer of 2019.
The report adds that Arsenal plan to send Karetsas back to Genk on loan for the 2026/2027 season to ensure game time, in what is said to be the ‘key point’ to his imminent transfer.