The Gunners have beaten off Manchester United and Juventus to the signing of 16-year-old goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein.
The Estonian Under 17 international player had also attracted interest from Premier League sides Brighton and Southampton, as well as having had trials at Juventus and German side Ingolstadt over the past couple of months.
Arsenal have won the chase for the youngster with Hein signing a three-year-deal with the North London club. Ex-Gunners goalkeeper Mart Poom is the head of the youth team in Estonia and he said:
The first year is about academic education.
Poom told Postimees Sport.
Two years later, he will be able to play at U18 level, and then he will be in the U23s. Then it depends on him. We hope he will reach the first team. That’s definitely very difficult, but not impossible.
It might be said that he joined Arsenal because of me, but this great decision was made by the boy with his family. Each club had certain advantages and disadvantages. I did not put pressure on him to choose Arsenal, but I promised to support him, no matter what decision he made.
It was, of course, difficult to choose, because this is an extraordinary opportunity for an Estonian these are all three top league clubs, all of which should be very good football education. Arsenal offers him very good conditions for development.
The small advantage with Arsenal is that I know the people there and in the academy. I can keep an eye on him and advise him if necessary.
Poom, spoke about the prospects of the teenager and he is confident that the Estonian can go far in the game.
He is talented, hardworking, has the right attitude, a supportive family and big dreams,” he said. From a physical perspective, he has everything to reach the top. Of course, he must put in a tremendous amount of work for this, to stay healthy and also need some luck.
Hein has 8 caps for the Estonian U17’s and has made 5 appearances for Nomme United, a team in the Esiliiga B.
