After negotiations with Eredivisie club Ajax, Arsenal have now announced the signing of goalkeeper Tommy Setford. This is the second confirmed transfer for the Gunners, with David Raya officially being signed after his loan spell last season.
Arsenal Announce Second Summer Transfer
Arsenal Sign Goalkeeper Tommy Setford
Arsenal have signed goalkeeper Setford on a four-year contract, where he will join their academy program. He was the starting goalkeeper for England under-18s in the FIFA 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia.
Setford has started 30 matches for Ajax in the O18 Divisie 1 last season, keeping 13 clean sheets in the process. Setford was also crucial for Ajax in the UEFA Youth League, playing 270 minutes, and keeping a clean sheet in the tournament. As of this writing, the young goalkeeper is currently a part of England under-19, where he has made an appearance.
Gunners Continue to Strengthen at the Back
The 18-year-old is one of two goalkeepers Arsenal have brought this season, with the Gunners triggering the loan-to-buy clause in Raya’s loan spell last season. Raya won the European Championships with Spain this summer, starting one match, the 1-0 win against Albania in the final game in Group B, where he was forced into action many times against a side managed by former Gunner Sylvinho.
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Arsenal also signed another academy goalkeeper a few weeks prior Lucas Nygaard from Nordsjaelland in Denmark. The Danish goalkeeper, much like Setford, will be part of Arsenal’s U21 squad this season but there are plans for both goalkeepers to train closely with the first team this upcoming season.
Moreover, Arteta’s side are reportedly close to signing Riccardo Calafiori. The Bologna defender was Italy’s second youngest defender to start at a Euros and was pivotal in providing the assist to Mattia Zaccagni’s 98th-minute first-touch finish equaliser, which kept Italy in the tournament, knocking out opponents Croatia. Arsenal are set to pay a transfer of £42.1 million for the defender.
