Arsenal are set to announce a deal for Barcelona youngster Joel Lopez.
The 16-year-old left-back is believed to have agreed scholarship terms ahead of putting pen to paper on his first professional contract when he turns 17 in March.
Whilst it is understood that the deal has not been formally completed it appears to only be a matter of time before Lopez joins Arsenal. He briefly changed his Instagram bio to include reference to his new club but that has subsequently been removed as he awaits the final dottings of Is and crossing of Ts on his transfer.
Lopez made clear earlier this month that he would not be staying at Barcelona, saying: “It will be the club that I always carry in my heart for all the wonderful moments that I have lived.
“It was a difficult decision but after contemplating it with my family I made the decision to go and start a new stage as a footballer with great enthusiasm.”
Though Lopez was not considered a stand-out prospect in the Barca youth setup he is still likely to provide the Gunners with an upgrade on their current young options in the position. Unsurprisingly for a graduate of one of world football’s most successful academies Lopez is considered to be particularly technically astute for a player of his age.
He will not be the first young player to make the switch from Barcelona to Arsenal and will hope to have a similar impact to Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin, both of whom departed La Masia and swiftly carved out crucial roles in Arsene Wenger’s side.
It has not always been a smooth road between Catalonia and Colney, with Fran Merida and Jon Toral having struggled to establish themselves in the Arsenal first-team before moving on.
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