Arsenal 19yo leaves on one-month loan | OneFootball

Will Sweet has left Arsenal on a short-term youth loan after completing a move to Dagenham & Redbridge, with the defender set to spend the next month gaining senior minutes in the National League South.

Photo via Arsenal.com

The 19-year-old, who joined Arsenal’s academy in May 2015, has been with the club for over a decade and signed his first professional contract in July 2025.

The loan runs until February 26 and Sweet could feature against Farnborough on Saturday afternoon.

Dagenham & Redbridge head coach Lee Bradbury believes the Arsenal youngster will add calmness and balance to his squad. “Will will bring real composure on the ball,” Bradbury said. “He’s got a lovely left foot and he can definitely play. We’re grateful to Arsenal for allowing us to bring him in on loan.

“He gives us composure in possession, but he’s also desperate to show that he’s not just a good footballer; he wants to learn the ugly side of the game as well, and that’s why he’s come to us.

“He’s 6 foot, 6 foot one, and I’ve been really impressed with him in training so far. You can see he’s come from a great club and been coached at a top level.

“He’ll bring competition for places and calmness when he comes into the team, and I think he’s got a big future ahead of him.”

Sweet has previously spoken about what it meant to commit his future to Arsenal and the motivation behind pushing for first-team opportunities. “I feel quite honoured to be at this football club,” he said when he signed his contract in the summer.

“It’s been a long time that I’ve been at the club so I feel like it’s more of a family in the club at this point and I feel really united with the boys and hopefully I can push on this season.

“Obviously getting to play at the Emirates for the first time, that was quite a surreal moment for me. I’ve been coming to the Emirates for a long time, watching the first team, so getting to play on the same pitch as them is quite surreal and quite unbelievable, to be honest.

“I want to be where they are so just looking at what they do day in day out, just trying to better them really and hopefully I can be where they are soon.”