Arsenal will sign Chelsea trialist Marcell Washington permanently this summer, with the player set to put pen to paper on professional terms in July.
Chelsea 17-year-old Marcell Washington has spent a long time on a trial with Arsenal, with Friday’s game against Newcastle United his eighth appearance for the Gunners.
The left-back has played once for the Arsenal u18s and seven times for the u21s since his trial began in early February. He’s also spent time training with the Arsenal first-team when the opportunities have presented themselves.
Now it seems the player is set to make his move across London official.
Jeorge Bird reports for Arsenal Youth that Washington is set to sign a professional contract with Arsenal in July, presumably after waiting for his current deal with Chelsea to expire.
The teenager is already 17, and thus eligible for professional terms as soon as Chelsea release him.
Washington only joined Chelsea late in his academy development process, having been playing in grassroots football until towards the end of his schoolboy years.
The defender struggled for games due to injury in 2023/24, and he wasn’t picked consistently in 2024/25 either. That opened up the door for Arsenal to swoop.
The Gunners have been on the hunt for a youth left-back this season, also taking Lennon Patterson on a trial from Wolves earlier in the campaign.
Patterson ultimately joined Sheffield United instead, but it seems Washington is ready to fill the spot ahead of 2025/26.