18-Year-Old Vasiliya Kostov Valued Higher Than Entire Hapoel Be'er Sheva Squad Draws Interest from Barcelona and Arsenal

Hapoel Be'er Sheva is set to face Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday in the first leg of the third qualifying round for the UEFA Champions League. Red Star's 18-year-old midfielder Vasiliya Kostov, who is expected to start the match, has attracted significant attention from top European clubs including Barcelona and Arsenal. Kostov has scored four goals and provided one assist so far this season and is valued at 25 million euros, surpassing the entire Hapoel Be'er Sheva squad's combined valuation of 20.3 million euros.

Kostov, a product of Red Star's youth system, broke into the senior team last season, scoring 14 goals and assisting seven, including notable goals against Porto and Malmo in the Europa League. He has made three appearances for the Serbian national team, including an official match against Albania, and is a year younger than fellow Serbian talent Amin Yamal. Interest in Kostov from Arsenal dates back to January, with Inter Milan and Juventus also reportedly monitoring his progress.

Known for his speed, versatility, and confident playing style, Kostov can operate as both a number 8 and number 10 midfielder. His early career was marked by a high-profile dispute between Red Star and Partizan over his signing when he was just seven years old. Despite his youth, Kostov is regarded as Serbia's most promising young player and could transfer to a major European club during the current transfer window.