adminArsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, has revealed that the English Premier League club are in advanced discussions to sign Nigerian under-17 stars, Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze.
The Frenchman explained that the club identified Nwakali “as a top player” at last year’s edition of the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in Chile.
He added that deals for the pair is still not concluded as “talks are progressing well” and hopes that they land both players in the current transfer window barring “work permit issues or medical issues.”
“Talks are progressing well. There are work permit issues. There are medical issues, because they’ve to make medicals. It’s progressing well. We identified Nwakali as the player of the tournament (at last year’s Fifa Under-17 World Cup), basically, and as a top player.
“We’ll see if we can manage to get it over the line during this transfer period. (If we can), we’ll do it. Chukwueze is (signing) as well,” Wenger said at a press conference on Friday.
Arsenal remain frontrunners to land the Nigerian pair despite earlier interest from German giants, Bayern Munich.
Nwakali, 17, was named the best player of the 2015 Fifa Under-17 World Cup which Nigeria won. Chukwueze got a bronze boot for his impressive performance for the West African nation after scoring three goals and weighing in with three assists. — supersport.com
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter