If the deal goes ahead for Joao Virginia, the 15-year-old youth product of Benfica will become Arsenal’s eighth young signing of a productive summer.
Virginia, who has been capped by Portugal at u16 level, will still be a schoolboy this season but is pencilled in to sign scholarship terms with Arsenal ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.
The acquisition of Virginia is set to lead to much competition for places amongst the club’s young goalkeepers, with homegrown shot-stoppers George Phillips and Jordan Perrin having both been named on the bench for Arsenal’s u18 team last season.
There is already a battle going on between the sticks at U21 level, with Matt Macey, Deyan Iliev and Ryan Huddart all competing for once place in the side, whilst Finnish goalkeeper Hugo Keto signed professional terms recently after a productive first season at the club.
Virginia, though, is extremely highly regarded, and will have designs of progressing through the ranks quickly if he does sign.
