Much of the focus today was on Arsenal’s signing of Lucas Torreira, but the club also secured a deal for a very exciting prospect at academy level.
After intense speculation in recent days, Arsenal have completed the signing of highly-rated striker Sam Greenwood from Sunderland.
The 16-year-old has signed a scholarship contract and will put pen to paper on professional terms when he turns 17 in January.
Although Arsenal have many talented youngsters at their disposal, the U18s were in need of a new striker, especially with the likes of Folarin Balogun and Tyreece John-Jules set to become increasingly involved with the U23s this campaign.
Greenwood, therefore, is likely to play a major part for the U18s and he already possesses a considerable amount of experience at that level having made 15 appearances for Sunderland last season when he was still a schoolboy.
The youngster made a significant impact in those games as he scored six goals and provided six assists, with his excellent linkup play as impressive as his prowess in front of goal.
One of the standout features of Greenwood’s game is his technique, which enables him to link up play effectively and also dribble past opponents.
Although he is usually deployed up front, Greenwood is also capable of operating effectively just behind the striker or one either flank, where he can use his aforementioned qualities to excellent effect.
It may take him some time to adapt to being at Arsenal but Greenwood certainly possesses a vast amount of potential and it will be intriguing to see how he develops this campaign, with an U23 debut not out of the question if he impresses for the U18s.
An England youth international, Greenwood is ready to prove that he made the right decision to join Arsenal and he is certainly capable of making a major impact.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Obviously one for the future rather than the present but we are adding real quality at all age groups this summer. Hope we tie up the rumoured deal of that Barcelona youth defender Joel Lopez as well. Exciting times!
Welcome young lad. Also, the Red Dwarf fan in me can’t get over how awesome it is that we have Tyreece John-Jules on our list!!!
Welcome to the Arsenal Sammy! Looking forward to seeing you rise through the ranks!
Ivan, a tip for you: nip 1/10 of the next monthly invoice to the advertising companies and you could put a quality DSLR in every office and a short course for everyone that needs to use them.
Better still use it to get Stuart or an assistant in to every signing. That’d be more money than most photogs make in a fiscal quarter at least.
The phone in Sammy’s pocket could undoubtedly take a 10x better photo than that one!
It’s injury time… And he’s nutmegged a bamboozled and ageing Varane… now he’s one on one with an ancient Lloris… a chance for young Greenwood to win the 2022 Quatar World Cup for England…. he’s rounded him!!
He’s done it!!!!!