Arsenal and Chelsea in 'next John Stones' summer transfer race for Aberdeen wonderkid
Arsenal and Chelsea are both interested in signing Aberdeen's Lewis Carrol this summer. The 15-year-old has been told he will be fast-tracked into the senior team, however Arsenal and Chelsea could prevent that by signing the teenager this summer.
According to The Athletic, both London clubs have been tracking the defender with Chelsea as long-term admirers, while the Gunners have joined the race in recent months. In March, Carrol will turn 16 and he is eligible to sign a professional contract in Scotland this year, although any transfer before then will result in Aberdeen receiving a compensation fee.
Perhaps the main reason for interest from the Premier League is because of comparisons Carrol has earnt to Manchester City's John Stones. His height and ability to successfully bring the ball out of defence are said to be the main reasons he has been given such lofty praise.
The England international played a huge role in helping Man City win the treble last season and therefore it is understandable, given the comparisons, why Arsenal and Chelsea want to sign Carrol. The Blues in particular have been after the next generation of talent with several young stars such as Deivid Washington, Kendry Paez and Andrey Santos signed in recent transfer windows.
While Washington and Santos have trained with the senior team, Paez is set for his first session at Cobham this week. Paez, who will officially join Chelsea in a £17.2million deal when he turns 18 in May 2025, made history in October 2023 as the youngest South American to score in a World Cup qualifier.
Meanwhile at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta is certainly on the lookout for more players to join his young squad, however the pathway from the academy into the senior squad is not currently
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