Arsenal and Celtic are leading the race to sign 17-year-old Colchester United left-back Makhaya James, who has impressed scouts with his Under-21 performances.

  • Arsenal and Celtic are reportedly leading the race to sign 17-year-old Colchester United left-back Makhaya James
  • James joined Colchester United on a two-year scholarship deal in 2022 after impressing at the Kinetic Academy and gaining experience with Glebe FC
  • Both Arsenal and Celtic are actively seeking to strengthen their youth setups and are closely monitoring James’ progress

Arsenal and Scottish giants Celtic are reportedly leading the race to sign 17-year-old left-back Makhaya James from Colchester United. According to sources from Football Insider, the young talent’s remarkable performances for Colchester’s Under-21 team have caught the attention of top clubs.

James joined Colchester United on a two-year scholarship deal in the summer of 2022, as reported by Jonathan Waldron. The promising left-back, then 16 years old, had previously flourished at the Kinetic Academy, a talent development programme for players aged 14-19. He became the 58th player from the programme to sign for a professional club.

In addition to his experience at the Kinetic Academy, James gained exposure to men’s football by playing for Southern Counties East League premier division side Glebe FC.

Eddie Munnelly, Head of Kinetic Academy Coaching, praised James’ character and abilities, stating, “A powerful left back who is strong in the tackle and has a willingness to get forward and serve balls into the box is something that most clubs would be looking for.”

With Arsenal and Celtic closely monitoring James’ progress, both clubs are poised to battle it out for his signature during the summer transfer window.

The two clubs are actively seeking to strengthen their youth setups, following the departure of several top talents from Celtic to English clubs and Arsenal’s defeat in the FA Youth Cup final this season.

Despite his young age, Makhaya James has demonstrated great potential, attracting interest from major clubs.

Colchester United are reportedly bracing themselves for offers as Arsenal and Celtic look to add the young left-back to their ranks.

As the summer transfer window approaches, it remains to be seen which club will ultimately succeed in securing the talented defender’s services.