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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Oli Gent

Arsenal agree third deal of January transfer window as young defender nears move

On the move: Maldini Kacurri - (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal have agreed a deal to sell young defender Maldini Kacurri to League Two side Grimsby.

The 20-year-old will exit on a permanent basis in what will be the third deal done by Arsenal in the January transfer window after Ethan Nwaneri and Louie Copley joined Marseille and Crawley on loan respectively.

Kacurri is a London-born Albania international who impressed on loan in the National League at Morecambe in the first half of the season.

He has made one appearance for Arsenal as a substitute in their 5-1 Carabao Cup win over Bolton last season.

Arsenal have a sell-on clause as part of the deal.

Maldini Kacurri is joining League Two side Grimsby (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Grimsby are ninth in League Two and targeting promotion in a season which they stunned Manchester United in a famous Carabao Cup upset in August.

The Mariners, who have won their last six matches without conceding a goal to shoot up the table, have moved for no-nonsense centre-back Kacurri to boost their promotion bid.

Kacurri made his Albania debut when in September and has been in the Arsenal academy since joining from Fulham in 2022.

He spent the second half of last season on loan at Bromely before moving to Morecambe last summer.

Arsenal have had a quiet January window and are not expected to do any big business before the deadline on Monday.

The Gunners have allowed Nwaneri to join Marseille on loan and Ajax are in talks over a loan move for Oleksandr Zinchenko, but the Gunners have not made any new signings.

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