Arsenal have allegedly scheduled medical tests for ‘intuitive’ Ajax sensation Tommy Setford after reaching a final deal with the teenager.
The 18-year-old goalkeeper, who has played in England’s junior levels, is expected to become Mikel Arteta’s new third-choice option, signing a four-year contract.
Arsenal and Dutch club Ajax have agreed on a cost of roughly €1 million (£869,000), and he will now undergo a physical, according to new sources.
Setford, who has a lot of promise and appears to have a bright future in football, has previously stated that his style of play is based on ‘intuition’.
When asked about his brother, Charlie, who also plays for the Eredivisie team, Setford responded to the Ajax website in December, saying, “Charlie is a very different goalkeeper than I am.”
Yes, there are similarities between us, but his style of play is far more calculated. However, I tend to play more intuitively.
Nevertheless, when I’m aiming for my objective, I usually make the appropriate decision. It’s not like we watch each other’s games at home and analyze them. We just give each other credit when the other plays well.
Arsenal have already made a number of goalkeeping changes ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, as they once again look to push Manchester City for the title.
The north Londoners have completed a permanent deal for No.1 ‘keeper David Raya from Brentford on a long-term contract after his season-long loan.
No.2 ‘keeper Aaron Ramsdale, meanwhile, has been deemed surplus to requirements and has attracted interest from Newcastle United and Southampton.
Legendary Gunners goalkeeper David Seaman has urged Ramsdale to leave the Emirates and find himself a new club.
‘I’ve always said Aaron is too good to be a number two,’ Seaman said. ‘He’s a fantastic player. He needs to play. Wherever that is, I don’t know.
‘It’s a weird situation. Ideally, you’d love him to stay because that would be great for the club.
‘But he needs to move for his career. And that includes England because, if he’s not playing, he’ll keep dropping down the pecking order with them.’