Arsenal starlet Brooke Norton-Cuffy signs new contract

Brooke Norton-Cuffy has signed a new contract with Arsenal, as a loan move to the Championship is highly likely, according to David Ornstein of the Athletic.

Ornstein claims the deal is expected to be announced sometime this week, before the defender leaves the club for a season in the Championship.

The highly rated 18-year-old spent last season in League One, playing for Lincoln City.

Norton-Cuffy was very impressive during his time in Lincoln, playing 17 times, scoring a goal and helped the team to survival, finishing 17th.

He was also part of the England u19 squad which won the European Championships in Slovakia.

The defenders former contract expired next summer, which has forced Arsenal to act quickly, meaning they won’t miss out on losing a highly rated youngster on a free.

Last month Omari Hutchinson to London rivals Chelsea, a situation Arsenal didn't want to find repeated.

He is also expected to join a Championship club before the transfer window closes at the end of the month to gain some more vital experience before he starts to become involved in the first team squad.

Currently, Arsenal are covered in the right back position, with the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Cedric, Maitland-Niles and more currently in the squad.

Arsenal don’t see Norton-Cuffy as someone who is needed this year, despite the Europa League mid-week fixtures.

Some believe Norton-Cuffy has the ability to go on loan to a lower-level Premier League side and gain regular football, however it's likely he will drop down a division for more minutes under his belt.

The Championship has seen many young talented Premier League players come in on loan and perform well.

Cameron Archer, Morgan Gibbs-White and others had impressive spells on loan last season.

Those players are now fighting for first team minutes this season at their teams.

Arsenal’s Emile Smith-Rowe also enjoyed a great loan spell in the Championship at Huddersfield in 2020, and it developed him into a first team talent that is now fighting for his place in the Gunner’s side week in week out.

Both Arsenal and Norton-Cuffy will be hoping a loan move this year has the same effect.

Norton-Cuffy’s new deal once again shows the direction Arteta is taking Arsenal in, bringing young talent through to become key players in the near future.