Arsenal youth striker Khayon Edwards has put pen to paper on a professional long-term deal with Arsenal, according to David Ornstein.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports that Khayon Edwards signed a new deal with Arsenal last week, running to 2025. The expectation is that the player will remain with the Arsenal u23s next season and push for first-team minutes, rather than going on loan.

As we exclusively reported back in December, Ornstein confirms that Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion were among the clubs circling for Edwards if he didn’t sign a new deal.

The young striker was out of contract this summer, so he could have moved on for no more than a compensation fee.

Edwards is the Arsenal academy’s top scorer this season, with 21 goals and five assists, though many of those goals were at u18 level.

The striker was starting to break into the u23s in 2022, but he suffered an injury ending his season in late February.

Edwards will hope that Arsenal’s other youth strikers – Folarin Balogun, Nikolaj Moller, Tyreece John-Jules, and Mika Biereth – will go out on loan or join the first team next season, with three of them already earning loan moves this campaign.

That would free up a regular starting spot in the u23s for Edwards, and leave him available for any spare minutes at first-team level.

The extension news will be a relief to Arsenal, with the club making Edwards multiple offers to convince him to sign.

The player always wanted to stay, with his dream to play in the Arsenal first team, but he obviously needed certain assurances. With his limited u23 minutes this season, and all the outside interest in him, it was only natural he’d consider his options.

It seems player and club have resolved their remaining differences now, and Edwards can focus on getting fit for another season with the Gunners.

In the meantime, we’ll await the official confirmation of the deal from Arsenal.