set to finalise their eighth signing of the summer after reaching an agreement to bring in Victor Ozhianvuna from Shamrock Rovers.
The 16-year-old midfielder is set to sign a pre-contract that will see him officially join the Gunners when he turns 18 in January 2027.
Although the transfer fee hasn’t been publicly revealed, The Athletic reports that Arsenal will pay more than the £1.6 million Tottenham spent to acquire Mason Melia from St Patrick’s Athletic—then a record for a League of Ireland player.
Ozhianvuna, a right-footed talent who typically operates from the left side, is already featuring in senior matches for Rovers.
His medical has been successfully completed, and the deal is expected to be finalized early next week.
Due to current EU regulations, he won’t be eligible to play for Arsenal until he reaches 18, but the club is confident he’ll be well supported until then.
While it remains to be seen whether Ozhianvuna will break into the first team, Arsenal’s commitment to youth development is clear.
In their recent clash with Leeds United, the team ended the match with three academy products—Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Max Dowman—on the pitch.
Despite Viktor Gyokeres scoring twice on his home debut, it was 15-year-old Dowman who captured the spotlight with a dazzling late performance.
‘This is what we see every single day in training,’ said Mikel Arteta reflecting on Dowman’s performance.
‘I think we just gathered information about how he handles certain situations in terms of training, being in the squad and not being selected afterwards in Manchester, coming on the bench and feeling ready.
‘But again, a big compliment to his family as well. I think there is a kid with a level of maturity, stability and hunger that is very difficult to see.
‘And obviously to Per, the academy, all the coaches and everyone who has been involved in that journey, because there is a kid here that has zero hesitation.
‘He’s so convinced that he can go at 15 and deliver that, which I have never witnessed in my life. And for us, it brings joy, it brings emotion and something else that makes our jobs so great.’
