DONE DEAL: Arsenal now officially announce arrival of ‘talented teenager’ from Premier League club TODAY, SEVEN years deal signed with player set to join the rest of Arsenal players in training Tomorrow

Arsenal have announced today that 17-year-old Marcell Washington has joined them from Chelsea after playing eight games on trial for their under-21s last season.

The ‘talented teenager’ impressed the Gunners and their former under-21s head coach Mehmet Ali, earning himself a professional contract in the process.

Washington is a left-back and he will hope to follow in the footsteps of his father, Ryan Bertrand.

Bertrand featured as a left-back during his playing days, winning the Champions League with Chelsea and playing for the likes of Southampton and Leicester City before retiring.

He played 19 times for England and Washington has someone to look up to as he looks to prove himself in the Arsenal colours going forward and establish himself as a first-team player.

The teenage sensation is not the only player that will be joining the North London club from Chelsea this summer, with England international attacker Noni Madueke set to link up with the Gunners and follow Kepa Arrizabalaga out of the Stamford Bridge club.

Chelsea attempted to include 15-year-old Max Dowman in the deal for Madueke, but Arsenal rebuffed the idea as the youngster is held in high esteem and is currently training with their first-team ahead of the pre-season tour.

Ethan Nwaneri has also been linked with the Blues as talks between him and the Gunners over a contract extension continue to stall, and the fans are hoping they do not lose such a talented player to another Premier League rival after Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi left for Manchester United some months ago.

Keeping such a player is pertinent given his huge potential and abilities, and talks are expected to remain ongoing until an agreement can be found between both parties.
✅ **DONE DEAL: Marcell Washington joins Arsenal from Chelsea – Seven-year deal signed**

Arsenal have officially confirmed the signing of **17-year-old left-back Marcell Washington** from Chelsea, continuing their focus on acquiring elite youth talent for the future.

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### 🔴 **Who is Marcell Washington?**

* **Position:** Left-back
* **Age:** 17
* **Previous Club:** Chelsea
* **Family Ties:** Son of ex-England international **Ryan Bertrand**, a Champions League winner with Chelsea.
* **Trial Performance:** Featured **8 times for Arsenal U21s** last season and impressed enough to earn a **professional contract**.

Washington’s signing is part of **Arsenal’s long-term talent pipeline**, mirroring recent investments in top teenage prospects. He is expected to **join the first-team squad in training tomorrow**.

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### 🧠 What Arsenal Are Getting:

* A **technically gifted full-back** with strong one-on-one defensive ability.
* **Composure in possession**, likely molded by Chelsea’s academy style.
* A player with **Premier League DNA**, given his upbringing and football heritage.
* Potential to **mirror the development path of players like Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri**.

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### 📈 Long-Term Plan:

* Signed on a **seven-year deal** (likely a professional contract with extension options due to age rules).
* Will begin with Arsenal’s **U21 or U18 side** but expected to train regularly with the **first team**.
* Seen as a potential future successor in the **left-back role**, with competition including **Oleksandr Zinchenko**, **Jakub Kiwior**, and **Takehiro Tomiyasu** (who covers both flanks).

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### 🧩 The Bigger Picture at Arsenal:

* Washington joins a growing list of Chelsea youth exits to Premier League rivals, including:

* **Noni Madueke**, who is **also joining Arsenal**
* Former Chelsea starlet **Omari Hutchinson** (joined Ipswich)
* Arsenal resisted Chelsea’s attempt to **include Max Dowman** in the Madueke deal.
* The club remains **firm on keeping Ethan Nwaneri**, despite **Chelsea’s interest** amid stalled contract talks.

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### 🔍 What’s Next?

* **First full training session tomorrow** with Mikel Arteta’s squad.
* Could be included in **Arsenal’s pre-season tour**, depending on his fitness and adaptation.
* One to watch for fans tracking Arsenal’s **next generation of stars**.

Would you like a full scouting profile or comparison between Washington and other Arsenal youth left-backs (like Lino Sousa or Reuell Walters)?