da 888： Arsenal are closing in on completing their first signing of the January transfer window, with manager Arsene Wenger confirming the impending arrival of Hednesford Town left-back Cohen Bramall, according to Squawka.
da dobrowin： What’s the word?
Wenger is not usually one for snapping up non-league talent, but he has deemed Bramall worthy following a trial at the Gunners’ Colney training base.
The Mirror reports that the Premier League outfit will seal the youngster’s signature for £40,000 and will hand him a two-year contract at the Emirates.
Wenger reportedly confirmed the deal, describing the new arrival as having similar attributes to Ashley Cole, who spent nine years – including two in the academy – at Arsenal.
The Frenchman told beIN Sports: “[Bramall] has signed for us. He’s an exceptional physical talent. I don’t think he’s ready, today, to play in Premier League.”
Who is Cohen Bramall?
Well, the footballer’s agent Dan Chapman revealed in an interview with Football.London that Bramall’s move to Arsenal is somewhat of a fairytale after the youngster was recently made redundant from a full-time job in a Bentley factory.
The report also claimed that Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday have been keeping eyes on the full-back, but Arsenal managed to push aside the competition.
In terms of his ability on the pitch, one of Bramall’s biggest strengths is his pace, but not only does he have quick feet, he has a physical presence that could fair him well in one-on-one tussles.
Could he be fast-tracked into the first team?
Well, looking at Wenger’s quotes, it’s clear that he intends to place Bramall in the Under-23 squad in order to help the young gun develop.
However, there are opportunities for him to progress into the senior setup quicker than he may have elsewhere due to the Gunners’ weak right-back positions.
At the moment, Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs occupy that side of the field, but both have struggled to hit the heights this season, plus the latter’s contract expires at the end of next season.
As suggested, it is unlikely that Bramall will be thrown into the first team upon his arrival this month, but the potential is there.
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