Arsenal close in on Man United pair Scanlon and Ogunneye in youth recruitment push

Arsenal are closing in on the permanent signings of Manchester United prospects James Scanlon and Habeeb Ogunneye, according to The Athletic, as the Gunners accelerate a wide-ranging youth recruitment campaign this summer.

Winger Scanlon, 19, and right-back Ogunneye, 20, both spent last season on loan in League Two and are now set to leave Old Trafford for good. Scanlon scored once in six appearances for Swindon Town, while Ogunneye made 21 appearances for Newport County before being recalled mid-season. The Athletic reports that Arsenal are confident of completing both deals.

The pair would join a growing list of young signings at the Emirates this summer. Arsenal recently agreed terms for 16-year-old England youth international striker Vincent Joseph following his departure from Liverpool’s academy, with the two clubs set to go to a tribunal after failing to agree a compensation fee. Midfielder Mylo Bernard, 16, has arrived from Crystal Palace after his schoolboy deal expired, 16-year-old Axel Donczew is reportedly poised to join from Cardiff City, and Elijah Upson — son of former West Ham defender Matt Upson — has signed after leaving Tottenham.

The recruitment push reflects Arsenal’s awareness that sustaining a Premier League title challenge requires a strong pipeline of talent. The club’s Hale End academy has already produced Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Max Dowman, and Marli Salmon in recent years, though Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have both been linked with exits due to first-team competition.

Underpinning the strategy is the appointment of Pascal De Maesschalck, the former Strasbourg technical director, as the club’s new academy head, replacing the departing Per Mertesacker. Sporting director Andrea Berta said of the hire: “He brings extensive experience from some of Europe’s leading football clubs and has an outstanding track record in youth development. We are excited to have him with us as we continue to build for the future, developing young players and identifying the best emerging talent to join Arsenal.”