Arsenal appear to be finalising a busy period of business at academy level, with young defender Ogunneye seemingly confirming his departure from Manchester United in a farewell message posted on social media, even though the north London club have not yet made the move official.
Writing on Instagram, Ogunneye reflected on his time at Old Trafford after five years with the club. "Five years. What a journey. Forever grateful for the memories, the people and everything this club has given me. Time for the next chapter," he wrote, in a post widely interpreted as an acknowledgement that his switch to Arsenal is close to being finalised.
Ogunneye is not expected to make the move alone. Reports suggest he will be joined at the Emirates Stadium by fellow United academy player James Scanlon, as Arsenal continue to strengthen their youth ranks with promising talent from rival clubs.
The developments come shortly after Arsenal confirmed the signing of striker Igor Tyjon from Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers on Friday. The 18-year-old's arrival in north London is reported to have been agreed for an initial fee in the region of £1million, with a further £2million potentially payable through performance-related add-ons.
Arsenal's interest in Tyjon was not a new development, with the club having made multiple attempts to sign the young forward during previous transfer windows. Blackburn had consistently resisted those advances, and as recently as this summer moved to secure his long-term future by extending his scholarship terms at Ewood Park.
Despite that effort from Blackburn, Tyjon ultimately chose to turn down the offer of a professional contract with the Championship club, opting instead to pursue his career with the reigning Premier League champions.
Speaking about his move, Tyjon expressed his excitement and described the transfer as a long-held ambition. "It feels amazing," he said. "I've waited a long time for this and I can't wait to get started."
The teenager also spoke about the significance of the move for those closest to him, highlighting the pride his family will feel at seeing him join one of England's biggest clubs. "It's a dream come true for [my family] as well, it's always a nice feeling when you make your family happy, so I'm buzzing for them as well," he added.
Tyjon made clear that the chance to join a club of Arsenal's stature played a major role in his decision, referencing their status as champions. "Who doesn't want to join the champions? I can't wait to be part of the team," he said.
He went on to praise the club's infrastructure and the environment he will be joining, citing the coaching staff and playing squad as key attractions. "The pathway, the staff, the players, everything about it, it's just top," Tyjon said. "I'm excited to meet the group, meet the players, hit the ground running and have a good season."
With Tyjon's transfer already confirmed and Ogunneye appearing to have all but sealed his own move, Arsenal look set to add further depth and promise to their academy setup, continuing a pattern of recruiting highly-rated young players from across English football as they look to build for the future both at youth and potentially first-team level in the years ahead.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.