September 25, (THEWILL) – Once again, English Premier League side Arsenal have proven their insatiable appetite for Nigerian-related talent especially with the signing of Anglo-Nigerian youngster Noah Laditan into their youth Academy.
After putting pen to paper on Saturday, an obviously delighted Laditan announced via social media that his move to the north London side had been concluded and he was part of the youth team and that he had moved from his previous Southend United side.
The move saw the former Shrimpers starlet putting his signature on the necessary schoolboy forms with the Emirates side that will most certainly guarantee a scholarship with the category one academy club in the future.
Laditan will be the latest in a line of Nigerian-blood young players in the Arsenal youth ranks. THEWILL recalls that the Academy has seen the likes of Folarin Balogun, Ovie Ejeheri, Arthur Okonkwo, Ryan Alebiosu and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji go through the schoolboys’ contracts before signing scholarships at Arsenal.
It has not been too different from the process that Hale End Academy products particularly Super Eagles winger Alex Iwobi and the pair of Chuba Akpom and Chuks Aneke passed through before making it out of the Academy to bigger fortunes.
In his Instagram announcement of his move, Laditan posted: “Happy to say I’ve officially signed with @officialarsenalacademy after 2 great years with @sufcrootshall . A new chapter for me in this beautiful journey”.
So far, 11 players of Nigerian descent have been registered by Arsenal for the first half of the Premier League season, and the north London club does not look ready to stop shopping for the best legs of tomorrow wherever they come from.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
