Arsenal are closing in on the signature of Liverpool academy striker Vincent Joseph, after the 16-year-old marked his Anfield exit with a farewell message on social media.
The Standard reports that a move to the Emirates Stadium is expected, with the England youth international having chosen not to sign scholarship terms at Liverpool once his schoolboy registration expired this summer.
As first revealed by The Athletic last month, Arsenal had already reached an informal understanding with the player before terms with Liverpool were settled, and the two clubs were said to be discussing a compensation package around the same time.
Because Joseph is under 24 and has not signed a professional contract, any disagreement over a fee would ordinarily be resolved by an independent tribunal rather than direct negotiation between the clubs. Joseph's own Instagram post, thanking the club for "9 unforgettable years," suggests the two sides have since found common ground on the terms of his departure.
"After 9 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye," he wrote. "Thank you for the memories, and for making my time here truly special. @liverpoolfc YNWA."
Joseph has scored eight goals in nine appearances for England's under-16s and featured for Liverpool's under-18s in last season's Premier League campaign, scoring three times in two outings — numbers that explain the level of interest from elsewhere in the Premier League.
A move to Arsenal would extend what has already been an active summer of academy recruitment at the Emirates. Georgian attacking prospect Andria Bartishvili and young goalkeeper Phoenix Blayney have both agreed pre-contract deals to join next year, while Habeeb Ogunneye, James Scanlon, Igor Tyjon, Axel Donczew, Mylo Bernard and Elijah Upson — the son of former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson — have all already made the switch to north London this summer.
Losing Joseph would be an unwelcome blow to a Liverpool academy that has built its reputation in recent years on identifying elite talent early, particularly from domestic rivals, with the pathway previously producing the likes of Harvey Elliott, Ben Doak and Trey Nyoni before each broke into senior football. Arsenal, by contrast, look increasingly willing to compete for those same prospects rather than simply developing their own.