Arsenal agree surprise transfer for young talent

Suraj Radia

12 Aug 2024 13:30 BST
3 min read

Arsenal look set to lose another talented youngster this summer in a surprise deal.

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The Gunners have already seen youth talent such as Amario Cozier-Duberry join Brighton, while Chido Obi-Martin has agreed to join Manchester United.

However, while those players left after failing to agree senior terms with Arsenal, a permanent sale has been sanctioned for defender Brooke Norton-Cuffy, who is set to join Genoa.

The 20-year-old came through the Gunners academy and had loan spells with Rotherham, Coventry and Milwall in the Championship across the past two seasons.

But despite being highly-rated at the Emirates and featuring regularly for the England under-21s team, Arsenal have agreed to sell the youngster for €2 million, with an additional €2m in add-ons.

Arsenal will also have a sell-on clause as part of the deal, with Norton-Cuffy set to travel to Italy for a medical in the coming days ahead of penning a five-year deal with Genoa.

🔴🔵 Details of Brooke Norton-Cuffy deal between Genoa and Arsenal: €2m fixed fee, €2m add-ons.

5 year contract for Brooke as Genoa beat clubs from Ligue1, Bundesliga and UK to the signing.#AFC have included a sell-on clause in the deal, medical will be in 48h. ⤵️ https://t.co/wEYq0Z1ZKU
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 12, 2024

Arsenal hoping to wrap up Merino transfer imminently

Arsenal will hope the extra revenue from Norton-Cuffy’s sale will help push through their deal for Mikel Merino, who has agreed to join the club from Real Sociedad.

The Gunners are still locked in negotiations over a transfer, however a deal of around €30m is expected to be agreed, with the midfielder entering the final 12 months of his contract with Sociedad.

The La Liga side are still hoping to convince Merino or teammate Martin Zubimendi to stay, having seen Liverpool take interest in the Spanish international.

The attention will then switch to outgoings for Arsenal, with Eddie Nketiah agreeing to take a wage cut to join Marseille in the hopes negotiations can progress between the two clubs despite an initial impasse.

Marseille are also in talks to sign Elye Wahi from Lens as an alternative to Nketiah, having seen Arsenal reject an initial loan-to-buy offer of around €30m for the England striker.