City move for Arsenal youngster
Manchester City have reached an agreement to land Arsenal youngster Mishel Nduka, who turned down a new contract in north London. The young midfielder is expected to undergo a medical imminently before joining City on scholarship terms, which is likely to lead to a professional deal.
Nduka is an England youth international and tipped for a big future. Nduka moved to Arsenal from Charlton Athletic in 2025 and played for Arsenal’s Under-18s. He also ran out for the club’s under-21 side in Premier League 2 but, despite the offer of a competitive long-term deal, he has chosen to move to Manchester, reports the Athletic.
Nduka’s likely move to City comes after they completed the signing of 17-year-old Jeremy Monga from Leicester City this month. Arsenal were also keen but backed out when they believed the price being quoted was too high. City secured a deal which is worth £12.5m in total - £10m plus £2.5m in potential contingencies.
City's greatest academy success has been Phil Foden, who continued to blossom under Pep Guardiola before eventually being named the PFA Player of the Year in 2024. Last season was a breakout campaign for Nico O'Reilly, who established himself as the team's first choice left-back. Rico Lewis was another player to become a fixture in the first-team environment. Enzo Maresca has now come in to replace Guardiola and will be tasked with making use of the club's young talent, with Nduka now among those available to him.
Arsenal continue to lose prospects
Nduka is not the only youth prospect that Arsenal have lost in recent years with Ayden Heaven moving to Manchester United last year.
The centre-half went straight into the first-team squad at Old Trafford and played 18 times for the Red Devils last term. He had been on Arsenal's books since he was 13 and had made his senior debut in a Carabao Cup game, but Sky Sports claimed that he felt a route into the first-team was blocked off. Several players were ahead of him in the pecking order and the Gunners continued to sign players, forcing him into moving.
Heaven became the second young player to join United from Arsenal during that season after striker Chido Obi-Martin moved north in October.
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