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Arsenal are reportedly targeting a young midfield prodigy likened to Pedri, as the North London club looks to strengthen its squad with emerging talent.

The Gunners are said to be pursuing a player widely compared to Barcelona’s Pedri, signalling their continued emphasis on youth development.

After showcasing their youthful depth over the weekend—when Arsenal made history by becoming the first club to feature two players aged 16 or younger in a starting XI during their 2-1 FA Cup fifth-round victory against Mansfield Town—the club seems intent on sustaining this focus on promising talent.

Former centre-back Per Mertesacker recently stepped down from his role as Academy Manager at Hale End, and with that transition, manager Mikel Arteta is expected to prioritise adding young quality to his side in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Arsenal’s strategy appears to include limited signings compared to last summer’s eight arrivals, with the focus now shifting towards bringing in youthful competitors for positions at right-back and in central midfield.

Ben White has endured another injury-troubled season, leaving Jurrien Timber as a consistent presence. Meanwhile, summer recruit Christian Norgaard has served as backup to Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice without starting any matches so far.

The Premier League leaders remain interested in Ayoub Bouaddi, who is touted as Ligue 1’s next breakout star, though speculations connecting them to Crvena Zvezda’s creative midfielder Vasilije Kostov continue to gain momentum.

According to reports from Serbia’s Mozzart Sport, relayed by Sport Witness, Arsenal are competing with Inter Milan and Marseille for Kostov’s signature, with claims that a €20 million bid has already been submitted by the Gunners.

In January, Red Star Belgrade’s General Director Zvezdan Terzic confirmed to football.london that such an offer had indeed been received, though he refrained from disclosing the identity of the bidding club.

Kostov, aged just 17, attracted national attention after becoming the youngest player ever to score in Belgrade’s Eternal Derby against Partizan. He also made his senior international debut for Serbia in October last year.

Inter Milan may have an advantage in negotiations with Red Star, given their manager Dejan Stankovic’s nine-year playing career with the Nerazzurri. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are also reportedly monitoring the Serbian teenager’s development.

For Arsenal, however, a move might be somewhat early at this stage, particularly with the presence of academy talents Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly already pushing for midfield opportunities.

Lewis-Skelly has featured 26 times this season, primarily at left-back, and is yet to start in midfield under Arteta. He was expected to play centrally against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup earlier in the season before Riccardo Calafiori’s injury in the warm-up forced a change of plans.

According to Transfermarkt, Kostov’s current market valuation stands at €10 million. Arsenal will next face Bayer Leverkusen as their Champions League campaign continues.