Arsenal and Man City join race for teen promotion sensation with one bid already tabled

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Arsenal are now in the hunt for the signature of Romeo Akachukwu.

According to the Irish Independent, Arsenal and Manchester City have joined the race to sign Waterford striker Romeo Akachukwu, with Southampton having already tabled a bid.

The 17-year-old is already a first team regular for the Waterford senior side, making 23 appearances for the club last season, across all competitions. He played a key role in helping the Irish First Division side to promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division.

The teen sensation has inevitably caught the attention of top clubs now, and could be ready to test himself in the English league setup. 

The Ireland under-17 international has huge potential. However, he is clearly not yet ready to feature for the Arsenal first team. If Mikel Arteta were to strike a deal for the youngster, it would be with the Gunners’ long-term future in mind. Akachukwu would likely be loaned back out by the north London club to gain some valuable experience at a lower level.

Arsenal need to fight for Romeo Akachukwu

Arteta has shown a willingness to invest in youth in his time as Arsenal boss. Several Hale End academy graduates have also established themselves as first team regulars under his reign, too. Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, and Reiss Nelson are all part of Arteta’s squad. 

The Gunners will face plenty of competition for Akachukwu’s signature, though. If Manchester City are serious about snapping him up, then Arsenal will need to pull out all the stops to tempt the teenage ace to join them. 

Waterford will also be keen to get the highest price they can for Akachukwu. For a club of their size, selling an exciting young talent to a top Premier League side for a decent price can have a huge impact.