Arsenal push for double youth deal with Manchester United

Sam Dean reports for The Telegraph that Arsenal are confident of agreeing a double deal to sign James Scanlon and Habeeb Ogunneye from Manchester United, as part of an aggressive youth recruitment drive this summer.

The Gunners are reportedly working on both transfers at the moment, with the hope of getting them done before the September deadline.

19-year-old Scanlon is a winger, who made his breakthrough into senior football with a loan to Swindon Town last season, scoring one goal in six appearances.

Scanlon had racked up 39 goal contributions in 50 games with the Manchester United u18s, but he’s yet to fully establish himself above that level. Perhaps a move to a fresh environment at Arsenal could help him to do that.

As for Ogunneye, Arsenal’s pursuit of the right-back seems pretty clearly an attempt to bolster their u21 side. The Gunners currently have no natural right-backs in the u21 squad, as we saw during pre-season, when Ben White was backed up exclusively by youth midfielders.

Ogunneye also has senior experience, spending the first half of last season on loan with Newport County. But if he signs for Arsenal, it’s likely he would be playing u21 football for the 2026/27 campaign.

Arsenal are definitely on a youth recruitment drive at the moment. The club have already signed Elijah Upson from Tottenham Hotspur, a deal for Cardiff City’s Axel Donczew is apparently close, and terms have been agreed with Liverpool’s Vincent Joseph and Crystal Palace’s Mylo Bernard.

The Gunners are also still pushing to sign Igor Tyjon from Blackburn Rovers, and this is all despite missing out on some other youth targets earlier in the summer.

Now it’s just about getting all of those deals over the line and focusing on the actual football again.