Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Tim Akinola following the expiry of the 19-year-old's release Huddersfield Town contract this summer.
The central midfielder will join Steve Bould's Under-23s side which added winger George Lewis to its ranks on Tuesday [August 18].
He has already met his new team-mates and participated in training ahead of the new season.
Akinola began his youth career at the age of 16 with League Two side Mansfield Town before moving to Lincoln City ahead of the 2018/19 season. Whilst with the Imps, he played in the FA Youth Cup against West Brom and also had a loan spell at Lincoln United in the eighth tier of English football.
The midfielder's big break came when he was offered a trial at Huddersfield Town after their relegation from the Premier League in 2019. Impressing on trial, he was offered a one-year deal with the option of an extension which wasn't taken up.
As revealed by football.london on August 18, Arsenal are increasingly looking for ways to exploit the transfer market at all levels.
One way in which they are looking to do that is by giving chances to players who may have been released by Premier League and Football League clubs due to the financial impact of the pandemic.
This is also evident in the Gunners' pursuit of defender Jonathan Dinzeyi, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, who The Athletic reported is set to join the club.
Akinola will be helped in his quest to establish himself in the Under-23s by Arsenal's recent use of the loan market. Players who excelled under Bould last season have been sent out on loan to earn first team experience, including central midfielder Matt Smith, who has joined Swindon Town.
With this process in session, the 19-year-old will look to impress in the Premier League 2 in the hopes of either being called up to train with the first team or earn a loan move to prove himself at senior level.
The midfielder is eligible to play for Nigeria and England.
