Here We Go ✅: Arsenal has signed a world-class player for £80 million. The contract was finalized last night, with the medical set for today. The club will confirm Arteta’s third signing this morning.
Arsenal has announced the signing of Tommy Setford from Ajax. The young England international has joined on a long-term contract for a fee reported to be under £1 million, according to football.london.
Setford has represented England at various youth levels, including Under-16s, Under-17s, Under-18s, and Under-19s, and has even been called up to the Under-20s squad. He is highly regarded as a modern goalkeeper. Arsenal presented him with a clear development pathway, persuading him to leave Ajax, a club renowned for its focus on nurturing young talent.
During his time at Ajax, Setford played in the UEFA Youth League and at the Under-18 level, and he even made the bench for their Under-21 team on a few occasions. He joins Arsenal to fill the gap left by the departure of five goalkeepers at the end of last month. Setford is the second young goalkeeper to be signed by Arsenal this summer, following the arrival of Lucas Nygaard.
Reflecting on his move, Setford expressed his gratitude, saying, “I want to thank Arsenal for this opportunity. I can’t wait to hit the ground running. I already know Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. They’re great guys, and I can have a good laugh with them. I’ve spent a few camps with them, so I know them well. I just saw them for a quick meet and greet! I’m looking forward to learning new things next season and pushing myself to another level. For the short term, it’s very important now to get a feel for the group and start to know everyone.”
Setford also posted a farewell message to Ajax on Instagram: “Thank you, Ajax, for more than 10 great years at the most beautiful club in the Netherlands. I take away with me some wonderful memories. No doubt our paths will cross once again sometime in the future.”