Arsenal are reportedly close to completing the signing of Greek wonderkid Konstantinos Karetsas.
The Gunners are looking to build for the future by adding talented youngsters to their ranks this summer, as well as a handful of ‘win-now’ signings.
Starlet Igor Tyjon is set to arrive from Blackburn Rovers for £1 million, while Andrea Berta is set to complete the first major acquisition in North London in Karetsas.
Karetsas is expected to sign for Arsenal for a reported £38 million, in a deal which would make him the most expensive Greek player in history.
With that said, here are four players who may be impacted by the signing.
Winner from Arsenal signing Konstantinos Karetsas
Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard struggled for Arsenal last season, overburdened by the entire creative responsibility being placed upon him.
The Norwegian needs help moving forward, and the addition of one of the most promising creative midfielders in Europe should alleviate the pressure on the Gunners’ captain.
Karetsas should allow Odegaard to focus more on ball progression, rather than having to do both that and creative things in the final third for Arsenal.
While the Greek midfielder isn’t expected to play for the North London outfit until the 2026/27 season, spending next campaign back on loan at Genk, he’ll eventually provide Odegaard with some respite from the congested fixture schedule.
Losers from Arsenal signing Konstantinos Karetsas
Ethan Nwaneri
Odegaard being the only real winner from the potential deal says a lot about the signing.
Despite Karetsas being a talented youngster with a high ceiling, Arsenal already have plenty of players who could help Odegaard with creativity, and thus, paying £38 million for the 17-year-old seems like a bizarre use of resources.
Ethan Nwaneri is one option Arteta could use more frequently who has the ability to create chances for his teammates in the final third.
However, with Karetsas also in the squad, the Hale End star’s minutes are only likely to drop.
Nwaneri is reportedly stalling on contract talks with Arsenal, and the addition of another young attacking midfielder will only add to his reluctance to commit his future to the Premier League club.
Fabio Vieira
Fabio Vieira’s future at Arsenal is already under threat after a somewhat underwhelming stint at Porto last season.
However, the signing of Karetsas means the Portuguese will now be even more surplus to requirements at the Emirates.
This will surely spell the end for Vieira in North London, with Berta likely to cash in on the player if he gets the opportunity to do so this summer.
Max Dowman
Max Dowman is making waves in the Hale End academy, with many believing he could develop into a special talent in the coming years.
Like Odegaard, Nwaneri and Karetsas, however, Dowman generally likes to be deployed on the right-hand side of midfield.
Assuming Nwaneri remains at the club, the 15-year-old would then have three players ahead of him in the pecking order, potentially prompting him to ponder whether there is a pathway for him to first-team minutes.
Arsenal should ultimately be prioritising the development of their own potential star talent, rather than spending £38 million on Karetsas.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
