Arsenal Secures Prolific Young Forward Mylo Bernard
Arsenal have moved early to secure one of the most prolific young forwards in the country, confirming the signing of Crystal Palace striker Mylo Bernard on a scholarship deal with professional terms already agreed.
The 16-year-old joins as part of the club’s 2026/27 scholarship intake, with Arsenal announcing that a pre-contract for his first professional deal is in place and will activate when he turns 17.
A ruthless academy goalscorer
Bernard arrives with serious numbers behind the hype. Arsenal’s statement notes that he hit more than 40 goals for the Crystal Palace academy last season, a haul that included six strikes while playing up an age group in the U18 Premier League.
That output has not gone unnoticed at international level either. Bernard is already an England youth international, with four goals and two assists in eight appearances for the England U16s, underlining his reputation as one of the sharpest finishers in his age bracket.
For Arsenal, who have put renewed emphasis on stacking elite talent in their youth ranks, it is exactly the sort of profile they have been targeting: a high-ceiling forward already comfortable punching above his age.
Part of a wider academy rebuild
Bernard is not an isolated move. He is one of a flurry of academy additions this summer as Arsenal aggressively reshape their youth structure.
- Daniel McCarron (Dungannon Swifts)
- Elijah Upson (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Phoenix Blayney (Larne FC)
- Igor Tyjon (Blackburn Rovers)
- James Scanlon (Manchester United)
- Axel Donczew (Cardiff City)
- Habeeb Ogunneye (Manchester United)
- Andria Bartishvili (Kolkheti 1913)
have all either completed moves to north London or signed agreements for transfers that will be finalised in 2027.
It is a clear pattern: Arsenal are casting the net wide, pulling in talent from across England, Northern Ireland, and beyond, and locking down their futures early.
Compensation and the next battle: Vincent Joseph
Bernard’s contract at Crystal Palace expired this summer, but his age meant he could not simply walk away as a free agent. Arsenal were required to agree a compensation package with Palace to complete the deal.
A similar story is unfolding with another target.
Arsenal are understood to be closing in on the signing of Vincent Joseph from Liverpool, another highly rated youngster whose previous deal has also run down. As with Bernard, Joseph’s age means a free transfer is off the table, and any move hinges on compensation between the clubs.
This time, there is no agreement yet. The dispute over the fee is expected to go to a tribunal, where a panel will set the amount Arsenal must pay Liverpool.
For now, Bernard is through the door, his future mapped out and his goals already doing the talking. If Arsenal’s academy gamble pays off, his name will not be the last from this intake to make the leap from youth prospect to first-team contender.
