Only the paperwork remains to complete Tommy Setford’s transfer from Ajax to Arsenal, with the Gunners reportedly hoping to announce the move this week.
Mike Verweij of De Telegraaf reports that Arsenal and Ajax have agreed on a fee for the transfer of young goalkeeper Tommy Setford, and they now only need to complete the paperwork.
Verweij adds that Arsenal hope to confirm the signing this week, with Setford signing on a contract until 2028.
Ajax reportedly would have preferred to keep Setford, but he was in the final year of his contract, so they felt they had to cash in. Arsenal presented him with a tailored long-term sporting plan, and they evidently did enough to convince him.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal have booked a medical for Setford, confirming that the player will join on a four-year deal.
Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail had previously reported that Arsenal would do the deal for a fee of around €900k (~£750k).
Mokbel added that the young goalkeeper will earn up to €4m (£3.36m) over the course of his contract.
The goalkeeper will be Arsenal’s third summer signing in the same position, having already brought in Lucas Nygaard and David Raya.
Though Setford doesn’t currently have homegrown status in England, he can be registered on Arsenal’s u21 list for now, before gaining homegrown status by the end of his third season.
A homegrown player is one who has been registered to an FA or FA of Wales club for three entire seasons before the end of the season during which he turns 21.
Setford is 18, so he’ll turn 21 during the 2026/27 campaign, his third season at Arsenal if all goes well.
Setford spent last season playing his club football for the Ajax u18s, and his international football for the England u18s and u19s. He stepped up to the England u20 squad this summer, though he’s yet to make an appearance for the team.
The teenager kept six clean sheets in 15 games for Ajax in 2023/24.