Photo: Zider red / CC BY 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Arsenal have signed 18-year-old defender Josh Ogunnaike to his first professional contract, the club announced on July 17. Ogunnaike has been with Arsenal since 2021 and progressed through the academy's age groups over five years.
"It's an amazing feeling," Ogunnaike said after signing. "I've got my family here, I've got the people closest to me that see me every day, and I'm grateful for this moment. Grateful to God, grateful for all the people that have helped me along the journey, so we just continue. We all feel blessed."
A versatile defender capable of playing at left-back or centre-half, Ogunnaike made 40 appearances across three age groups and six competitions during the 2025-26 season. He also scored his first UEFA Youth League goal and secured a regular starting berth in Arsenal's under-21 side before the campaign ended.
"The hard work that's been put in from all of us, the sacrifices on their end, the hard work on my end, it's all pieced together," he added.
Ogunnaike trained with Arsenal's first team towards the end of last season. "Training with them is an experience that not many will achieve in their life, and to have said I've done that, I'm truly blessed," he said.
The deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.