Arsenal raid Man Utd again as promising talent makes Emirates move
Arsenal have officially completed the signing of highly-rated young full-back Habeeb Ogunneye following his departure from Manchester United.
The 20-year-old arrives in north London after the expiration of his United contract, with the Manchester club retaining a 40 per cent sell-on clause as part of the agreement.
Ogunneye expressed his delight after completing the switch and described joining Arsenal as a “no-brainer” after seeing the opportunities afforded to young players at the Emirates Stadium.
“It feels great to be here, it’s such a big club,” Ogunneye said. “When I heard [Arsenal] were interested in me, I said to my agents it’s a no-brainer.”
The transfer also represents something of a homecoming for Ogunneye, who was born in Hackney and still has family living in the area.
Primarily a right-back, Ogunneye spent more than a decade in Manchester United’s academy after joining the club as a youngster and progressed through their youth ranks.
He was regularly involved around United’s senior squad and was named on the bench several times without making a competitive first-team appearance.
Ogunneye gained his first sustained taste of senior football last season after joining Newport County on loan for the first half of the last campaign.
The England youth international made 22 appearances across all competitions for Newport, scoring once and gaining valuable experience as the Welsh club battled successfully against relegation from League Two.
Ogunneye believes the physical demands and pressure of senior football significantly accelerated his development ahead of his move to Arsenal.
The defender has also represented England at youth level, including appearances for the Under-17s.
His arrival continues Arsenal’s aggressive attempt to strengthen the older age groups within their academy with players who already possess significant experience.
The Gunners have also completed deals for Blackburn Rovers striker Igor Tyjon and Gibraltar international James Scanlon, who similarly arrived after leaving Manchester United.
Ogunneye is expected to initially link up with Arsenal’s Under-21 squad, where David Horseman is now head coach, while attempting to demonstrate that he can eventually progress towards Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s senior plans.
The pathway available in north London played a significant part in his decision.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman have demonstrated Arteta’s willingness to provide opportunities to outstanding young players, while several academy products contributed to Arsenal’s Premier League title triumph last season.
Ogunneye will now attempt to follow that route after choosing Arsenal for the next stage of his development.
His immediate objective is simple, with the defender saying he wants to “get better every day” before seeing where his first season in north London takes him.
The post Arsenal raid Man Utd again as promising talent makes Emirates move first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.
