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Arsenal are locked in talks to sign James Scanlon from Manchester United, according to reports.
The Standard claim they are hoping for a breakthrough in the “next 72 hours”, which suggests an agreement on a transfer fee could be reached either this weekend or at the start of next week.
There are unlikely to be any issues with personal terms, with the player seemingly keen on being reunited with two youth coaches he has worked with before.
Arsenal have recently appointed David Horseman as head coach of the Under 21s. The 42-year-old spent a few months working with Scanlon at United last season.
Horseman is said to have recommended him, along with Chris Perkins. The Arsenal scout was previously head of youth recruitment at Derby County, where Scanlon started his career.
What do Arsenal fans need to know about the player?
As mentioned, Scanlon began with Derby, joining their academy in 2016. He spent five years as part of their youth ranks before making the switch to Man Utd in March 2021.
Scanlon is a winger by trade, favouring the left flank, but he is two-footed, which means he is very capable of playing on either side of the pitch.
The 19-year-old is already a fully-fledged senior international, having been capped 24 times by Gibraltar, qualifying via his mother.
Scanlon made his senior club debut whilst out on loan at League Two side Swindon Town last campaign, making 6 appearances. He also scored his first goal against Oldham Athletic in a 3-0 win.
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Why is Scanlon being targeted?
Arsenal decided to revamp their academy setup in the summer. As well as appointing Horseman, the club hired a new academy director, Pascal De Maesschalck, who succeeded Pep Mertesacker in the job.
They have been looking to supplement their homegrown academy players with additional signings from other clubs, with Scanlon (and his United teammate Habeeb Ogunneye) among their targets.
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