Arsenal Close in on Liverpool Academy Striker Vincent Joseph

Liverpool have grown used to raiding other British academies for the best teenage talent. This time, the boot is on the other foot.

For years, Anfield has been a magnet for prospects like Harvey Elliott, Ben Gannon-Doak, Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha, plucked from rival clubs and polished on Merseyside. That conveyor belt has been a point of pride for Liverpool’s hierarchy.

Now Arsenal are set to land one of Liverpool’s own.

Arsenal close in on Vincent Joseph

According to The Athletic, Arsenal have reached an agreement with Liverpool academy striker Vincent Joseph over a move to north London, with talks ongoing between the clubs over a compensation fee for the 16-year-old.

Because Joseph is under 24 and has not signed professional terms, the fee structure follows familiar academy rules. If Liverpool and Arsenal cannot agree a figure, a tribunal will step in and set the amount owed to the Reds.

Joseph’s schoolboy registration at Liverpool expired this summer, and he did not sign scholarship terms, opening the door for Arsenal to move.

A prolific record at youth level

The disappointment at Kirkby is understandable. Joseph’s numbers hint at a serious talent.

He scored three goals in just two appearances in the Under-18 Premier League last season, a sharp return in limited minutes. On the international stage, he has eight goals in nine caps for England Under-16s, including a hat-trick against the Netherlands at that age group last December, as recorded by Transfermarkt.

Those figures explain why Arsenal have pushed hard and why Liverpool are reluctant to lose him, even from a youth setup renowned for its depth.

Liverpool have tied down other prospects, such as Lucas Clarke, on professional contracts. With Joseph, they could not get a deal over the line. Arsenal sensed the opening and moved.

Tables turned on Liverpool

There is a certain symmetry to the situation. Liverpool recently swooped for Rio Ngumoha from Chelsea’s academy shortly after his 16th birthday, with a tribunal ultimately setting the fee. Now Arsenal are on the verge of doing the same to Liverpool with Joseph.

For the Reds, it stings: a highly rated, homegrown forward leaving for a direct domestic rival. For Arsenal, it is a calculated strike, a chance to add another high-upside attacker to a youth pipeline already stacked with promise.

Joseph now looks set to trade Merseyside for north London. If his youth record is any indication, this won’t be the last time these two clubs cross paths over his name.