Arsenal have missed out on transfer target Leo Dorsin, following Per Mertesacker’s suggestions this week that it’s becoming more difficult to secure top young European talent.
FC Nordsjaelland have confirmed the signing of 16-year-old Leo Dorsin from Rosenborg, in an apparent blow to Arsenal and Manchester City.
Danish outlet Tipsbladet had reported that the two Premier League clubs had taken Dorsin on trial in an effort to convince him to join, with FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Ajax offering similar opportunities.
But Dorsin has instead signed a contract with Nordsjaelland in Denmark until 2028, the longest he can sign for at his age.
Arsenal and Manchester City’s failure to secure the transfer is perhaps partly explained by something Per Mertesacker said this week.
The Arsenal academy manager pointed out that the change in regulations to deny English clubs the chance to sign 16-year-old players makes bringing in top young European talent nearly impossible.
“The European talent, we can’t get when they’re 16 now,” Mertesacker explained. “When good talent are 18, they are worth so much money, so you can’t acquire them, so we’re looking at our own players and the pathways that we can create.
“Bukayo, Myles, Ethan, if you look at Max Dowman now plus Andre [Harriman-Annous] who made his debut in the Champions League also this year, they all started in the foundation phase, started in pre-academy with us. So you can see the consistency.”
If Arsenal had signed Dorsin, it would have been on a pre-contract agreement, with the player only actually joining once he turned 18 in December 2027.
It’s not hard to see why the teenager might have been more tempted by the chance to join a new club immediately, rather than waiting two years.
The Gunners have had more success in other cases, such as signing Victor Ozhianvuna from Shamrock Rovers in a deal that will only become active in January 2027. But not everyone will be willing to wait.
Arsenal also completed the signings of Edwin and Holger Quintero on pre-contracts recently, but the situation was different in their cases.
Given the Quintero brothers are Ecuadorian, they couldn’t have moved to play anywhere in Europe before the age of 18, which meant Arsenal were on a level-playing field with all other European clubs.
By contrast, the European clubs definitely had a major advantage with Dorsin, and it’s no surprise one of them ultimately won the race.