Arsenal in Tottenham wonderkid agreement as Nwaneri deal struck

17 Jul 2026 16:56 BST | 4 min read

Mikel Arteta, Roberto de Zerbi, Arsenal — © IMAGO

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

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Arsenal are setting themselves up for the future with major academy deals, including the signing of a highly-rated prospect from rivals Tottenham.

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Youth development is far from linear or straightforward, and no club perhaps typifies this better than Arsenal. During the Mikel Arteta era, the Gunners' relationship with the Hale End academy has seen ups and downs.

One of the Spanish manager's greatest success stories has been turning Bukayo Saka into a world-class winger, while he also integrated Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly into the Gunners' first team.

However, it wasn't long ago when Arteta's handling of the academy was heavily criticised. Before Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly really broke through, several of Arsenal's top prospects departed the club in search of a clearer first-team pathway.

The task of integrating youngsters into the first team was neglected in Arteta's desperate pursuit of the Premier League title. That view shifted with the introduction of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly, but it resurfaced last season, with both struggling for minutes for most of the season.

Arsenal betting on youth

There has been a major shift in Arsenal's approach to youth development and recruitment over the past year. The North London club are making more and more exciting signings for the future, and Hale End is being stocked up with talent from home and abroad.

While Nwaneri is facing an uncertain future after a disappointing loan at Marseille, his younger brother Emerson is only just starting his Arsenal chapter. Sky Sports reports that the 15-year-old has put pen to paper on a scholarship deal and also committed to a professional contract for August 2027 when he turns 17.

The same outlet also reports that Arsenal are interested in Cardiff City's Wales U19 international Axel Donczew and that they have wrapped up the signing of Tottenham defender Elijah Upson, the son of former Gunners star Matthew Upson.

The 18-year-old has put pen to paper on a contract after leaving Spurs, confirming reports that had been doing the rounds for a few weeks. Elijah is a centre-back like his father.

The signing of Upson is good news as Arsenal failed to strike a deal for Emmanuel Mbemba. The 18-year-old PSG defender was being linked with the Gunners and AS Monaco by French media, but he has now joined Paris FC instead.

Last December, Arsenal announced the signing of twins Edwin and Holger Quintero, who will join the club in August next year. Two months earlier, the club reached an agreement to sign Irish wonderkid Victor Ozhianvuna for January 2027.

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