Arsenal’s newest player shares why he decided to leave Man Utd and join the Gunners
Arsenal have just signed James Scanlon from Manchester United, and it seems he won’t be the only young player moving from Old Trafford to the Emirates this summer.
Scanlon, who turns 20 next month, spent the second half of last season on loan at Swindon Town in League Two, helping them finish ninth. He came back to United this summer, but on Saturday, Arsenal announced his signing. “It’s a pleasure to be here, I can’t wait to get started,” he said to the club’s official website.
When asked why he chose Arsenal over United, Scanlon said he was impressed by the club’s hunger to keep getting better. “You can see the club is in a really good place and only going to improve. Everyone is eager to achieve more, and I want to be part of that and add to it,” he explained.
He described himself as a creative player who loves to score and assist. “I hope to entertain the fans and that’s really what I’m here for,” he added.
Although Scanlon made his debut for Gibraltar’s national team in 2024, he never played for United’s first team, but he did get called up for a Europa League match against Real Sociedad in March 2025.
Along with Scanlon, Arsenal are close to signing defender Habeeb Ogunneye too. Ogunneye, who played for United’s under-21s in a pre-season match recently, will mainly play with Arsenal’s under-21s but is also expected to join first-team training, according to the Standard.
Ogunneye, 20, shared a farewell message to United on social media this week, saying: “15 years. What a journey. Forever grateful for the memories, the people, and everything this club has given me. Time for the next chapter.”