Official: Arsenal complete record-breaking transfer

Robin Bairner

• 3 Oct 2025 06:17 CDT
• 4 min read

News

Arsenal have announced that they have completed a record-breaking transfer that will take place in January 2027.

The Gunners have announced that they have signed Victor Ozhianvuna from Irish club Shamrock Rovers. As the player is only 16 years old, though, he is unable to make the jump to North London on a permanent basis in 2027.

League of Ireland club Shamrock Rovers, who lost 4-1 to Sparta Prague in the Conference League on Thursday without Ozhianvuna in their squad, will receive at least €2 million for the player, surpassing the €1.7m Tottenham will pay St Patrick’s Athletic to sign Mason Melia in January 2026.

A right-winger, the teenager has already played 16 times for the Dublin club’s senior team, scoring his maiden senior goal against Wexford in an FAI Cup clash in July. He became the second-youngest player ever to feature in the Conference League when he came off the bench against Molde in the intermediate stage clash back in February.

Ozhianvuna is a member of Ireland’s U18 side, with whom he has won five caps.

Expert Opinion – Ronan Murphy

Irish football expert Ronan Murphy explained to FootballTransfers what this deal means for a club like Shamrock Rovers:

“How do you make €2m as a League of Ireland club? You either have historic European success by making the League Phase of the Conference League, sell a wonderkid for a new Irish record, or win the country's Premier Division 19 times. That's right, 19 times. For drawing in Europe against Hacken on Thursday, Shelbourne received €133,000, which is actually more than they were paid for winning their own domestic league a year earlier.

“Shamrock Rovers profited massively from their European exploits in 2024/25 and are back in the Conference League again to hopefully earn more again this season. To make money though, they need to win or draw some of these games and their opening result against Sparta Prague was hugely disappointing on this front as they conceded four times against the Czech giants.

“A more reliable way of turning a profit is to develop young players like Arsenal's new signing Victor Ozhianvuna, who has become the club's record sale and follows in the footsteps of Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu to leave for the Premier League. Bazunu was a record sale at the time when he moved to Manchester City and fellow Dublin club St Patrick's Athletic broke the Irish record earlier this year when they confirmed the departure of Mason Melia to Tottenham for a fee starting at €2m but possibly rising up to €4m.

“Brexit rules mean that these players cannot move until they are 18, unlike Bazunu who was able to move to England at 16. This ensures they get more game time in senior men's football rather than youth or academy football, helping their development and even adding to their price tags. For clubs like Shamrock Rovers and St Pat's, continuing to churn out talented teenagers and giving them a taste of senior football and even European football is the best way to stay profitable.”

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