Arsenal are closing in on the signing of 16-year-old striker Vincent Joseph from Liverpool after the young forward shared a farewell message to his former club on Tuesday, following nine years in their academy system and a compensation dispute that required a tribunal resolution.
While scholarship terms are set to formalize the move, the transition signals another high-profile raid on a rival club’s academy ranks. Arsenal reached an agreement with Liverpool 16-year-old Vincent Joseph over a month ago, with the striker choosing to make the switch to north London. Joseph was out of contract with Liverpool, having turned down a scholarship contract. But due to his age, a compensation fee still needed to be agreed. Reports in August then suggested that the two clubs had failed to reach a deal agreement, and the matter would go to a tribunal.
Vincent Joseph Bids Farewell After Nine Years at Liverpool
The young striker took to social media to acknowledge the end of his lengthy development at Anfield following reports that a tribunal had finally settled the lingering compensation fee. It seems that tribunal may now have reached a resolution, with Joseph posting a farewell to Liverpool on his social media pages on Tuesday. Joseph spent nine years climbing through Liverpool’s youth structure before turning down a scholarship contract to seek a fresh pathway in north London.
After 9 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye,
Joseph wrote. Thank you for the memories, and for making my time here truly special. @liverpoolfc YNWA.
The expectation is that Arsenal will announce Joseph’s signing imminently, though nothing is official at the time of writing. The agreement was initially reached over a month ago, but youth transfer rules dictate that compensation must be agreed upon for players under professional contract age. When negotiations stalled, the matter headed toward a tribunal before the player’s public farewell cleared the path for an imminent official announcement.
Proven Pedigree at U18 and International Levels
Arsenal are acquiring a forward who has already demonstrated prolific scoring form across both club and international fixtures. Joseph made his breakthrough into u18 Premier League football last season, scoring three goals in his two appearances for Liverpool.
His developmental trajectory has been matched on the international stage, where the young striker has also scored eight goals in his nine games for the England u16s, with all of those appearances coming in the course of the 2025/26 campaign.
Academy Strategy and Wider Transfer Landscape
Arsenal have been on the lookout for youth strikers in recent transfer windows, and they missed out on Will Wright to Liverpool just last year. But after completing moves for Blackburn Rovers’ Igor Tyjon, Crystal Palace’s Mylo Bernard and now Liverpool’s Joseph, they seem to have found their academy additions. The prospect is set to follow in the footsteps of Mylo Bernard by signing scholarship terms with Arsenal.
Arsenal have also brought in Axel Donczew at U18 level, while Habeeb Ogunneye, James Scanlon and Igor Tyjon have all joined the U21 squad. Furthermore, pre-contract agreements have been reached for the signings of Andria Bartishvili and Phoenix Blayney. The strategy mirrors ongoing youth acquisitions across the Premier League, where clubs remain active in the transfer market with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham still exploring potential deals ahead of January. Arsenal have announced an agreement to sign Andria Bartishvili – who has been dubbed as the next Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – and remain interested in Kenan Yildiz and Eli Junior Kroupi, amid links with Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha.