15-year-old Romanian Cătălin Cârjan will sign a contract with Arsenal when he turns 16 according to an exclusive report from his home country.

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Cârjan on trial

The attacking midfielder, who currently plays for Viitorul Domnesti, has already impressed on trial with Arsenal, even though he picked up an injury while he was with the club (welcome to life as an Arsenal player, Cătălin). Although not an Arsenal player at the time of his trial, he was looked after by the club.

Making his debut in the fourth tier of Romanian football when he was just 10-years-old, the right-footed playmaker was playing in the third tier when he was 13. He was also reportedly playing with the nine-year-olds when he was just four. Although he is a more central player, he can play anywhere across the frontline and has a decent left foot as well according to people who know Romanian teenagers better than me.

Cârjan is managed by Catalin Sarmasan who brought Vlad Dragomir to the club and is considered the ‘most talented in Romania’.

The teenager has undertaken a few trials with Arsenal after being followed by Manchester City. In 2015 he trained with Inter Milan.

“It’s something else, it’s a big difference I cannot wait to go there to sign and it’s going to be much better,” Cârjan told Digi Sports.

“I will sign when I’m 16, but I do not want to come in, they’ve been watching me for more matches and that was it, after that they sent me the tickets to go to them, they told me that I was a good player and that they wanted [me] to go to the big team in two years.”

A report from Romania back in April also stated that he would sign for Arsenal when he turns 16 on December 1.

Vlad Dragomir is training with his former club, ACS Poli Timisoara in Romania, after he was released by Arsenal this summer.

Dragomir was signed by Arsenal for €115,000 in 2015 but was released this summer when the new management team came in and decided he would be unlikely to make it as a first-team regular at the club.

Although he is reportedly in talks with a number of other clubs, Dragomir has returned to Timisoara to maintain his fitness. It seems unlikely that he will re-sign for his former club despite what their manager says.

Manager, Ionel Ganea, told the press in Romania, “We are in discussions with a few players, many of them are waiting to negotiate with teams outside, if not, they will come to Timisoara.”

But Timisoara are currently experiencing financial difficulties after being relegated. There is even the possibility that their changing rooms will be closed by the county council apart from on official match days.

Not that long ago, Dragomir was being talked about as Mesut Ozil’s heir by the Romanian media after his move to Arsenal. Only 17 at the time, big things were expected from the midfielder.

“Dragomir is considered one of the best talents of Romanian football,” a piece from Italy claimed.

Vlad Dragomir
Vlad Dragomir signing his Arsenal contract. Picture: Getty Images

“In [his] homeland they compare him to Kroos, in London they see him as the heir to Ozil, who has the same foot.”

Now available as a free agent, he will have no problem finding a new home where he will likely go on to impress. Whether he will reach a level that would allow him to become a first teamer at Arsenal is clearly in doubt, however. Otherwise, the club wouldn’t let him leave.

Dragomir made 33 appearances for Arsenal’s u23 side, scoring six and assisting two. With a further four assists and one goal in 14 u18 appearances, the Timsoaran never played a single minute for the seniors which is a shame because his name is awesome.