Arsenal continue aggressive youth academy drive with late double deal | OneFootball

Gunners snap up two teenagers as they target top young talent

A Deadline Day that began with talk of Sandro Tonali ended with Arsenal signing Jaden Dixon and Evan Mooney.

Dixon arrived from Stoke in a deal understood to be worth £500,000 plus add-ons.

The 18-year-old is a versatile defender who can play across the backline. He primarily plays at centre-back, but has also filled in well on the right of defence.

England youth international Jaden Dixon joined Arsenal from Stoke

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Having gone through the Spurs academy, Dixon made two Championship appearances last season for Stoke and played the full 90 minutes in four Carabao Cup matches.

He has largely been with the Under-21 side this season and did not play for the first team.

Dixon, who is friends with Arsenal teenager Max Dowman, revealed in 2024 how former Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross had been working with him on the defensive basics.

“He has been helping me a lot with my positioning, what I need to do in one-v-one defensive situations, and I feel like those aspects of my game have continued to improve," Dixon said.

“Ryan has taught me a lot, especially when it comes to my game off the ball and out of possession.

“I also feel like I’m naturally more of a player who is comfortable on the ball, but he has really implemented those necessary traits off the ball into my game, which has added good balance.”

The plan is for Dixon to join up with the Arsenal academy rather than being involved with any first-team plans.

That is the same for Mooney, who was signed on Deadline Day from St Mirren for £400,000 plus add-ons. The Scottish club also have what they described as a "sizeable" sell-on clause.

The 18-year-old forward made 11 appearances off the bench for the St Mirren in the Premiership this season.

He can play as a right winger or as more of a centre forward, having done both for Scotland's U19s.

Mooney is eligible to feature for Arsenal's U18s, but he is more likely to join up with the U21s considering his previous first-team experience.

Arsenal have been keen to recruit at youth level to bolster the talent that has come through the earlier age groups at Hale End and both Mooney and Dixon fit that bill.