Liverpool will say goodbye to one of their best young players this summer, as Arsenal has reached an agreement with the England rising star.
Liverpool are about to lose one of their most promising young players this summer, as Arsenal has agreed personal terms to sign him. Over the last year, the Reds have focused a lot on bringing in top young talent. For example, 18-year-old center-backs Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe both signed deals running until 2026. Ndukwe has shown great promise in pre-season, but he still needs a work permit and will likely be loaned out until at least January.
Liverpool are also talking about signing 19-year-old Hungarian youth international midfielder Patrik Farkas. Last summer, they picked up Salford forward Will Wright for a small fee to join their U21 team. Colombian midfield star Samuel Martinez has also agreed to join Liverpool, but he will officially move to England after his 18th birthday next summer.
Liverpool’s academy is known worldwide for helping young players grow, but other English clubs have strong reputations too. Arsenal has shown they can bring academy players into their first team, with stars like Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri, Reiss Nelson, and Max Dowman already there.
According to The Athletic, 16-year-old Liverpool striker Vincent Joseph has chosen to leave Liverpool’s academy and join Arsenal, where he has now signed a contract. Joseph is seen as one of Liverpool’s brightest talents in his age group. The club had hoped to offer him a scholarship before he signed his first pro contract at 17. Last season, Joseph scored eight goals in nine games for Liverpool’s U16 side and even played twice for the U18s despite being younger.
Now, Liverpool and Arsenal will need to agree on a fee for Joseph, or the case may go to a tribunal. Factors like his age, playing history, time at the club, and contract offers will be considered. Since Joseph is 16, he was registered under academy rules as a schoolboy. Reports say he turned down a Manchester United offer to join Arsenal.
Young players usually sign scholarship deals after finishing school, but sometimes they can get terms earlier in special cases. Interestingly, Arsenal recently lost one of their top young players too—16-year-old winger Mishel Nduka moved to Manchester City’s youth setup. However, Arsenal did sign midfielder Axel Donczew from Cardiff City’s academy, who even appeared in the EFL Trophy last season at just 15.