Premier League duo Arsenal and Leeds United face missing out on Giannis Konstantelias with reigning Serie A champions AC Milan in talks to sign the £17 million-rated PAOK starlet, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
The Rossoneri had the fifth youngest squad in Italy’s top flight last season. A statistic which makes their first Scudetto triumph since the Max Allegri era a decade prior even more impressive. Fikayo Tomori, Pierre Kalulu, Sandro Tonali, Rafael Leao and co thriving under Stefano Pioli at the San Siro.
So Konstantelias, the Greece U21 international, is very much a typical Milan signing. 20 years old and brimming with potential. Tuttomercatoweb report that Paolo Maldini, the legendary defender-turned-technical director, has already held talks with PAOK counterpart Jose Boto.
Milan are also ready to make a bid of £9 million. PAOK are holding out for closer to £17 million.
Either way, with talks between Konstantelias and Milan ongoing, the ball now enters the respective courts of Arsenal, Leeds, Aston Villa and more.
Arsenal, Leeds and Aston Villa like Giannis Konstantelias
According to Greek publication Sportdog, Arsenal are long-time admirers. The Gunners came close to signing a teenage Konstantelias for just £1.5 million back in 2019, and have been keeping tabs on his development ever since.
Unai Emery was at the helm of Arsenal back then. The Spaniard appears has taken his admiration for Konstantelias with him to Aston Villa. The London Evening Standard, meanwhile, throw Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Wolves into the mix. Ditto a PSV Eindhoven side looking for a long-term replacement for Cody Gakpo.
“He goes past opponents two at a time. A great talent. I wonder why he didn’t play earlier,” PAOK Iegend Kostas Frantzeskos says in quotes reported by Regista. “I believe that he will soon leave Greece.
“He will be signed by a big European team, because he is a talent. He can do great things on the pitch. I hope Konstantelias has a great career, because he can with the quality he has.”
Konstantelias, like Gakpo, is a silky left-sided attacker capable of drifting into more central areas. He has five assists in 21 PAOK appearances this term.
Leeds, last summer, missed out on Gakpo while seeing another top target – Charles de Ketelaere – choose the San Siro over Elland Road.
Reports claiming that Milan are now in talks with Konstantelias, then, should be seen as more of an opportunity than a blow. A chance for Leeds to take some semblance of revenge.
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