Arsenal Signs Liverpool Starlet Vincent Joseph
Arsenal have struck an agreement with highly rated Liverpool youngster Vincent Joseph, moving them a step closer to prising one of the most prolific teenage forwards in England away from Anfield.
The 16-year-old striker has agreed to join the north London club this summer, with Arsenal now locked in negotiations with Liverpool over a compensation package. Because of Joseph’s age, Liverpool are entitled to a fee despite his contract expiring, and if the clubs fail to settle on a figure, a tribunal will set the amount.
Joseph has been fast-tracked over the past year. He broke into u18 Premier League football last season and made an immediate impact, scoring three goals in just two appearances for Liverpool’s u18s. That brief but explosive introduction wasn’t enough to persuade him to sign fresh terms, and his decision to walk away has opened the door for Arsenal.
His form on the international stage has been just as eye-catching. Leading the line for England u16s, Joseph has scored eight goals in nine games, all during the 2025/26 campaign, underlining why top academies have been circling.
Arsenal’s academy department has been hunting for centre-forward talent after missing out on Will Wright to Liverpool last year. This time, the tide has turned. With agreements in place for Crystal Palace striker Mylo Bernard and now Liverpool’s Joseph, Arsenal look to have finally landed the youthful attacking reinforcements they have been chasing.
The rebuild does not stop there. Elijah Upson has already arrived from Tottenham Hotspur, adding another prospect to the pipeline, while a deal for Cardiff City’s Axel Donczew is expected to be completed shortly. Donczew is the only one of the quartet who was not out of contract, a detail that underlines Arsenal’s willingness to pounce when negotiations stall at rival Premier League clubs.
For now, the focus is on paperwork and process. Joseph, Bernard, and Donczew all have agreements in place; Arsenal just need to push the deals over the line and make them official. The academy doors at London Colney are about to get very busy.
