Arsenal want to steal rising star from Gary Neville

Robin Bairner

• 7 Apr 2025 08:30 CDT
• 5 min read

News

Arsenal are hoping to sign one of Salford City’s brightest young stars on a free transfer, with the Gunners tracking the progress of Will Wright.

The Gunners are scouting the 16-year-old with an eye to making a move for him in the summer, with Sky Sports reporting that Leicester and Birmingham City are both tracking the 6ft2 centre-forward.

Out of contract in the summer, Wright can be snapped up on a free transfer, although Arsenal would need to pay Salford training compensation. This would likely be a relatively small figure, however.

Wright has long caught the eye for Salford’s youth team, having hit more than 40 goals at academy level this season. And he is already starting to make an impression at first-team level for the League Two side.

The teenager made his debut off the bench in the 8-0 loss against Manchester City in the FA Cup and has since appeared twice as a replacement in League Two. He has been a regular on the bench over the course of the last month but has not featured since 1 March.

Arsenal seeking Hale End talent

Arsenal are casting their net wide in the summer as they seek to add quality to their academy side.

The Gunners have been raided at youth level regularly in recent months, with Manchester United notably plundering both Chido Obi-Martins and Ayden Heaven from them in recent times.

But Mikel Arteta can also point to some success from the academy in the Arsenal first-team squad.

Bukayo Saka is the most notable example but both Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly look destined to have bright careers at the Emirates having come through the system at Hale End.

Arsenal will hope to use the example of these players in order to sign their next batch of talent, including Wright, who may have to give up a fast-track into first-team football if he makes the big jump to the Premier League side.