Three former teammates new signing Tommy Setford will reunite with after Arsenal transfer

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Arsenal are closing in on the signing of young Ajax goalkeeper Tommy Setford, who will reunite with some familiar faces.

Setford is an England youth International, and the 18-year-old is highly rated within the ranks at Ajax.

Arsenal are now close to completing a deal to sign him, as they look to strengthen their goalkeeping department, having already added youth goalkeeper Lucas Nygaard to their roster.

The club will likely end up signing several goalkeepers for both the academy and the first-team, with David Raya completing his permanent move and Aaron Ramsdale potentially set to follow several youth team goalkeepers such as Arthur Okonkwo out of Arsenal.

Despite his English National Team allegiance, Setford was actually born in the Netherlands, and came through the youth ranks at Ajax. His move to Arsenal will be the first time he plays in England in his club career, but he will have three former teammates with him.

Tommy Setford will reunite with Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly at Arsenal

Setford was the first-choice pick for the England under-17s in recent years, including at the under-17 European Championships in 2023, which saw his side reach the quarter-finals.

The goalkeeper started in all but one game, and this included the quarter-final defeat to France. Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly were in the starting lineup, as two of Arsenal’s most promising talents.

Archie Gray, who was recently linked with Arsenal before joining Tottenham Hotspur, also came off the bench, whilst Setford has also played with former Arsenal starlets Lino Sousa and Amario Cozier-Duberry at youth International level.

Tommy Setford will follow Jurrien Timber from Ajax to Arsenal

Arsenal secured the signing of Ajax defender Jurrien Timber last summer, but he was dealt a blow as he picked up a long-term injury on his Premier League debut.

Timber returned on the final day of the season, and will hope to build up his fitness in pre-season.

Setford, like Timber, will join from Ajax. The two did not play together, but they may have trained together at some point, with both coming through the club academy in Amsterdam.

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If Setford is included in the pre-season trip to the USA, he will link up with Timber and the rest of the first-team squad in the absence of Raya and Ramsdale after Euro 2024.