Arsenal are prepared to offer €7m for IMT Belgrad defensive midfielder Vasilije Novičić, a fee that would outbid both Red Star Belgrade and TSG Hoffenheim, who have each had offers of €5m rejected by the Serbian club, according to Direktno.
The 17-year-old, who will turn 18 in May and therefore become eligible to move to the UK this summer, is described as Arsenal’s plan to sign and then loan out to a club where he can develop with consistent first-team football.
The Gunners have been actively tracking the Serbian market in recent weeks, with Novičić joining Vasilije Kostov of Red Star Belgrade on their list of young Serbian targets ahead of the next window.
Who is Vasilije Novičić and why are Arsenal interested?
Novičić moved to IMT Belgrad as a free agent from FK Ole in 2024, having previously left FK Kosmet Leposavić’s academy. His rise has been rapid. He has already made 52 appearances for the club across two seasons, starting 25 of his 27 league outings this term and accumulating 2,321 minutes of senior football at just 17.
He has even captained the side on multiple occasions, an unusual responsibility for a player of his age and experience.
His stats this season reflect the profile of a ball-winning, defensively active midfielder who contributes effectively in transition. He is averaging 2.0 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 4.3 ball recoveries per game, while also contributing eight goals and four assists from midfield, a return that demonstrates genuine attacking contribution beyond pure defensive work. The Serbia under-19 international has clearly caught the eye of clubs well beyond the Serbian league.
How serious is Arsenal’s interest in Novičić?
Direktno report that Arsenal have “no problem” offering €7m, which would represent more than double his current Transfermarkt valuation of €3.5m.
Red Star Belgrade remain determined to sign him and have made him their top summer target, but the Gunners’ willingness to pay a significant premium gives them a decisive financial edge in this particular auction.
The plan to loan him out immediately after signing suggests Arsenal are thinking about this as a long-term development investment rather than an immediate first-team addition. That is consistent with how they have operated in the Serbian market and with Arteta’s broader approach to young talent acquisition.
Novičić is represented by Serbian agency Family Football, owned by agent Rade Dunjic, and his contract at IMT runs until 2027, meaning the club hold leverage but also have incentive to sell at the right price before his value rises further.
