Who is Konstantinos Karetsas? Arsenal Target ‘Greek Messi’ in £38m Transfer Move

Arsenal could soon make a big move in the transfer market. On June 6, 2025, reports from Belgium say the club is close to signing Konstantinos Karetsas, a 17-year-old starlet from Genk. The young attacking midfielder is already being called the ‘Greek Messi’.

Karetsas was born in Genk, Belgium, but has strong Greek roots. Both his parents come from northern Greece. He played for Belgium at youth level but switched to the Greek national team earlier this year. FIFA approved the change before Greece’s Nations League play-off against Scotland in March 2025.

In that game, Karetsas impressed by scoring the second goal in a 3-0 win over Scotland. That result earned Greece promotion to League A. After the international break, he returned to Genk and continued to shine.

He scored again in his first match back for the club and kept his spot in the starting eleven. Genk were in the title race but lost momentum towards the end of the season.

Karetsas is mainly an attacking midfielder. He stands at 5ft 7in, has great balance, and uses his left foot to dribble past defenders. He often plays from the right side, just like Lionel Messi.

His style is inspired by watching clips of Ronaldinho and Neymar as a kid. This helped him develop strong creative skills and confidence with the ball.

In his first full season with Genk, Karetsas scored three goals and made three assists. He returned to Genk in 2023 after spending three years with Anderlecht.

Big clubs like Manchester City, AC Milan, and RB Leipzig tried to sign him two years ago. They invited him to visit their training grounds. But his father, Vaios Karetsas, said they felt it was too early for a move abroad.

The only serious talk outside Belgium was with Ajax, but the family stayed loyal to Genk.

Now, Arsenal are ready to spend £38 million to bring the talented teenager to London. This could be a long-term move with big potential. Karetsas said in a past interview: “I aim for the very top.”

Arsenal fans will be excited to see if this gifted youngster can live up to the hype.