Vasilije Kostov: The Serbian teen sensation whose sublime season has caught the eye of Arsenal, Barcelona & more

Born in the Serbian capital Belgrade in May 2008, Kostov's journey began at local academy SF Royal FC, but it would not be long before he caught the eye of one of the country's very biggest hitters. He was just seven years old when he was picked up by Red Star (AKA Crvena zvezda), widely considered Serbia's most popular and successful club ahead of their fierce city rivals, Partizan.

Evidently earmarked as a special talent from a young age, there Kostov would swiftly progress through the age ranks. In 2023-24, he provided 20 goal contributions for the U17 side, aged just 15, earning himself a promotion to the U19s for the following campaign. A similarly impressive season mixing it with kids three years his senior would propel him into the first-team picture.

It was Kostov's performances in the youth-level Eternal derbies against Partizan in 2024-25 that really caught the eye. Having already netted a spectacular goal during the home win in September, sweeping a fine finish into the top corner, the then-16-year-old bagged a stoppage-time winner on the road in March, evading the attentions of three defenders before blasting beyond the goalkeeper to spark wild celebrations that resulted in a mass brawl among the young players.

Kostov was actually promoted to the first team right at the start of 2025, but he continued to skipper the U19s on a regular basis as he was only sporadically included in matchday squads by former head coach Vladan Milojevic. His senior debut would eventually arrive in the form of a 10-minute cameo against Beograd in the Serbian Super Liga in early April last year, but he would have to bide his time for more consistent chances to come his way.

This season, though, has been a different story; having spent pre-season with the first team, Kostov is now a fully-fledged member of the senior setup at the age of 17, and he hasn't looked back as he takes Serbian football by storm.

After a strong start to the campaign, which included a wonderfully-taken Europa League goal on his continental debut against Porto, a senior international debut and a contract extension in October, the teenager has taken his game to another level since the turn of the year and the return of Inter and Serbia legend Dejan Stankovic to the dugout.

Deployed more consistently as an attacking midfielder having previously been shunted out wide, Kostov scored six times in as many league games between early February and mid-March, supplying two assists to boot as he demonstrated exceptional dynamism in the No.10 role. That streak included yet another goal against Partizan, who must be sick of the sight of him already, as he became the youngest-ever scorer in the Eternal derby.

His combined tally of goals and assists in all competitions so far now stands at 21 - quite ridiculous numbers for a player of his tender age.

Something of a throwback as a proper old-school No.10, Kostov still boasts all the attributes of a modern attacking player. His game is all about vision and guile, but he also possesses the pace and power required to be a success in a sport where physicality is becoming increasingly important.

The youngster's low centre of gravity means he is able to make explosive changes of direction, and despite his age he is by no means easy to knock off the ball, often using his fairly stocky 5'8" frame to shield possession and manoeuvre away from opponents.

As his numbers show, Kostov already has an eye for a goal for an assist at 17, but his mentality stands out, too. "I strongly believe in that kid," ex-Red Star head coach Milojevic said. "Above all, he has a very positive work ethic, listens to his coaches and works individually with them."

It feels pretty unfair to critique a 17-year-old who is delivering so consistently at the highest level in his home country. Given his age and the fact he probably shouldn't even be a first-team player yet, Kostov is predictably a little rough around the edges in certain departments, such as defensive contributions, and if we're being harsh he could probably run at his man more often given his supreme confidence on the ball.

One thing he will need to be aware of is letting his breakout season go to his head. In a recent interview with Serbian outlet Sportal, Kostov disagreed with Stankovic's assertion that the player had improved by '30 percent' since he had returned as head coach.

"I honestly think I've made even more progress," he said. "But well, never mind... I'll definitely make more progress towards the end [of the season]. I think I have progressed more both physically and mentally."

Operating at the level he is at his young age, Kostov looks primed to forge his own path to greatness. But if we're going to compare him to someone who is already established at the highest level, he is arguably most similar to a player of the ilk of Isco.

While they aren't the tallest, they share that low centre of gravity and sturdy build that is such an attribute as a No.10 roaming between the lines, where marginal gains are so important as you look to evade defenders, create space, create chances and score yourself.

The former Real Madrid man is one of the modern masters of the role, and he also boasts the versatility to play out wide like the up-and-coming Serb. If he continues on his current trajectory, it would be little surprise to see Kostov grace the fabled Bernabeu turf, too.

It will come as no surprise to hear that some of Europe's elite are keeping a keen eye on Kostov's exploits in Belgrade amid an outstanding breakthrough campaign at Red Star. In the short-term, he will surely be focused on helping his current employers claim a ninth league title in a row as they begin the championship round in the Super Liga, but there will be intense scrutiny around his future come the summer.

The teenager has already been linked with the likes of Arsenal, AC Milan, Barcelona (against whom he scored a cheeky Panenka in the UEFA Youth League in 2024), Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain, while Stankovic's connection with Inter supposedly means the Italian giants are also in the running. However, given the youngster signed a new contract until 2028 as recently as October, Red Star are in a position of power.

Whether they decide to cash-in this summer for what is certain to be a record fee for a Serbian player remains to be seen. For what it's worth, the player himself insists he is unaffected by the noise.

"I don't think I was so carried away by the fact that they write a lot about the fact that I'm going somewhere," he told Sportal. "All those big numbers, 25 million (euros)... It doesn't affect my game and my stay here at all."

However, Kostov suggested he has already outgrown the Serbian top-flight, and dropped a significant hint as to where he could end up in the future: "I can't say it's too easy (the standard), because there are a lot of experienced and really good players in the Super Liga. Of course I think I can play at a higher level, certainly. At this point I think this is totally okay for me."

He added: "I think I would do best in Germany or Italy. As I have said many times, I don't think so much about my desires. It is not my main goal to go somewhere this summer."

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