Arsenal Targets Manchester United Duo Scanlon and Ogunneye
Arsenal’s youth rebuild is about to run straight through Old Trafford.
The club are closing in on a double deal for Manchester United prospects James Scanlon and Habeeb Ogunneye, with one transfer already at the medical stage and the other advancing quickly.
Standard Sport understands Scanlon has become a serious target as Arsenal sharpen their focus on elite youth recruitment. Further talks with United are planned, but there is confidence in north London that a deal can be struck, with personal terms not expected to be a stumbling block.
The situation with Ogunneye is even more advanced. Arsenal are set to sign the 20-year-old defender on a free transfer, with United inserting a 40 per cent sell-on clause. His medical is scheduled for Thursday and an announcement is expected over the weekend.
Once the paperwork is done, Ogunneye will link up with Arsenal’s Under-21s and be given the chance to train with Mikel Arteta’s first team, a clear pathway on offer if he impresses.
Who is James Scanlon?
Scanlon is just 19, but already a full international. Born in Leicester, he represents Gibraltar through his mother and has been capped 24 times at senior level.
He made history in September 2024, becoming the UEFA Nations League’s youngest goalscorer at 17 years and 346 days when he struck in a 2-2 draw with Liechtenstein.
On the pitch, he is a versatile, modern attacker: primarily a winger comfortable on either flank, but also able to operate as an attacking midfielder between the lines.
A product of Derby County’s academy, Scanlon joined Manchester United in February 2021. He settled quickly, stepping up to the Under-18s within a year and continuing to climb.
The 2023-24 campaign marked his real breakout. He featured in the UEFA Youth League, earned minutes for United’s Under-21s and was called into first-team training by Erik ten Hag. His progress was rewarded with a first professional contract in May 2024.
He edged even closer to the senior stage in March 2025, when he was named in a Manchester United matchday squad for the first time for a Europa League tie against Real Sociedad. He did not make it onto the pitch and is still awaiting his competitive debut for the club.
To accelerate his development, United sent him on loan to Swindon Town for the second half of last season. Scanlon turned down interest from clubs across Europe to take that move, scoring once in six appearances as Swindon finished ninth in League Two, missing the play-offs by a single point.
Who is Habeeb Ogunneye?
Ogunneye is a year and a bit older than Scanlon and has come right through United’s own system. Born in Hackney, he first appeared for the club’s Under-18s at just 15, quickly building a reputation as an adventurous right-back who relishes getting forward.
His first taste of senior football came last season on loan at Newport County, where he made 21 appearances in all competitions. Those games included outings in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, valuable exposure to the demands of the professional game.
One of his more eye-catching nights came in defeat. Facing an Arsenal Under-21 side featuring Marli Salmon in the EFL Trophy, Ogunneye conceded a penalty from which Andre Harriman-Annous scored the equaliser. Soon, he is set to be on the other side of that fixture, wearing Arsenal colours.
His rise has not gone unnoticed at international level either. Ogunneye is eligible for England by birth and Nigeria through heritage and has already been at the centre of a tug-of-war between the two nations. No decision has been announced, but England Under-21s head coach Lee Carsley has identified him as a potential star of the future.
For Arsenal, this is another calculated push into the next generation. For Scanlon and Ogunneye, it is a chance to step into a club where youth is not just stockpiled, but trusted.
