Arsenal have wrapped up the signing of AZ Alkmaar midfielder Oğuzhan Özyakup, after the final details of the transfer were settled between the two clubs.
Young Guns announced an agreement had been reached for the players services two months ago, but then Oğuzhan himself admitted there were one or two things to iron out. This has now been completed, and he will join his new team mates in September.
The Gunners took advantage of Özyakup’s contract situation, as rules in Holland dictate a young player cannot sign on as a professional until he reaches 17 years old. This means clubs from countries such as England can come and snap up prospects, leaving their former employers furious.
AZ managing director Marcel Brands confirmed he did everything in his power to keep the Academy’s prize asset, but conceded they could not come close to matching Arsenal’s offer. Oğuzhan was uncertain of the move at first, as it would mean moving to a strange country without his family, However Liam Brady put in place a structure, which means they will have housing and jobs in place when they arrive in London.
Özyakup is Dutch born, but his parents originate from Turkey, and at just 15 is already an Under 17 International for his native Holland. He is a creative and highly technical central midfielder, who can also play on the wings. Blessed with a superb passing range, and ability to crop up in the right place to score goals. All his talents add up to a lethal combination for any opposition.
Although will not link up with Arsenal until he turns 16 in September, he will spend the summer training with his new team mates, and adapting to the new surroundings in London. You can read more about Oğuzhan in his player profile.
Article By – J.Sanderson With Thanks To Repepe From AZ Forums
1st
another kid, yay? :[
How much did Arsenal have to pay AZ?
Think they just get compensation, not a transfer fee.
what kind of player he is?? i hope he doesnt become Van Den Berg, who highly rated when he came to arsenal several years ago..
maybe anyone have a video about him?? share it please.. i wanna see it
Let’s hope he makes it! I would love to hear the commentators try to pronounce his name :-)
We are also being linked to the Turkey u17’s captain Semih Kaya from Galatasaray.AW has invited him to a pre season training camp.
The agent of Galatasaray defender Semih Kaya has revealed the interest of Arsenal.
“Semih Kaya is the captain of the national under 17 team in Turkey,” Kaya’s agent, Yarar Ali Togutay, told calciomercato.com. “He is a central defender and very strong already with solid experience, despite his young age.
“Last month, Arsene Wenger invited him to a training camp at Arsenal and even Inter Milan has made contact with us.”
if he make’s it at The Arsenal, which i hope he does,the lettering should keep people on their toes
it seems an unamed english club is interested in Mauro Zarate. bit like how Arsenal like to do their business aint it
JamJam where did you here this then. Give me a link
der u go kev
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_3703003,00.html
Is anybody else sick of these wonder kids signings?FFS Wenger go out and buy some proper experienced players who cost more than a fiver.
The fee is nominal. Around 200k
thaks jamjam
any update on that spear bloke?
What About English Players?
When The Rules In Where Buggered
What About English Players?
When The Rules In Where Buggered
Actually, EU have made it clear on a number of occassions that this law will not be implemented, as it violates EU Employment Law. However, they have supported UEFA’s plan for a ‘homegrown’ ruling, whereby any player that has played for a club for 3 years between the ages of 15 and 21, is classed as ‘homegrown’. Therefore, this signing could potentially be a masterstroke.
tight f.cker, fizzman must be rubbing his hands with glee
c.harding, the 6:5 rule will never come in. it goes against every european stauatuory emplyoyment Law there is. You can’t turn round to someone and say “I’m not going to employ you because you’re french/Spanish/Irish” or whatever, in any line of employment; they certainly can’t bring in an exception to EU Law, just cos it’s football. They can all agree at FIFA and UEFA that it’s a good idea (I don’t necessarily disagree with it myself!) but there’s no way it wil ever get passed.
Indeed I’m very tired of this buying of kids. Wenger must be feeding them cereal behind the scenes or something. Just go out there and buy players not toddlers. Even gathering all that money you spent on these teeanagers could have got us someone who could make immediate impact. It starts to seem like Wenger has single handedly cost as glory these days. I don’t care what you say.
I mean, the money is there, what we need is clear, all you have to do is go get a quality dear.
If you’re defending him, let me ask you this: At the end of the 2007/08 season, who asked us how many nurtured talent we acccumulated or how did they progress?
And who asked you this: How did we fair in success as a football club?
What’s so foolish about it is that, we wait for the kids to become stars and immediately when they do, they are sold to clubs we feed players to.
What’s the point of buying young talent if it’s not for investment?
I’m going to ignore Wenger these days. Whatever he does, I’ll just observe.
Why cry about the buying of kids?! If you are tired and bored, get out of the house and do something with your life. The buying of kids would go under the radar in years past but for two things – blogs like this one (which is great fun, btw), and the fact that some of these kids are now so good that it’s almost newsworthy so it makes the media tick over.
Point: buying kids has no effect whatsoever on whether AW constructs a championship contending side for August 2008 (just like it didn’t for 2007, and fuck me if arsenal won’t be really strong come 2009/10/etc.). The team that won the European Cup just pipped us thanks to one bad injury (everything else we could have dealt with).
My concern with all these kids is that in three or four years time when they all start griping in the press for more playing time or loans, or transfers, etc., it will distract AW from his managerial duties!!
Hmm, how many of these so called wonderkids have actually made the difference at our first squad? Fabregas, …?
Yes, in this situation at the moment, I’m also getting bit annoyed about all the wonderkids around.
Another point: Having lived on Green Lanes in North London for years, I had always hoped Arsenal would sign a turkish player, or cypriot, or greek – or all the above. This would cement ties between the local immigrant communities and the club which till now haven’t been nearly as strong as they could be, and with this Oğuzhan Özyakup signing perhaps this will begin to change (even though he’s Dutch, too). A bit of Turkish footballing passion and celebration would be welcome in North London for big matches. it would up the volume that’s for sure. Although when all the horn honking begins I’ll be glad i don’t still live around there.
Guys we signed Cesc Fabregas as a toddler n now look , he one of da best playas.
Good luck finding that sky sports thing about Zarate
£200k isn’t exactly going to affect his other transfer plans. I’m sure you all wouldn’t have minded if wenger managed to get his hands on Messi when he brought fab4 in either. Wenger is looking to the present and future at the same time.
This site is dedicated to reserves & youths so if you don’t want to read about it, go somewhere else. For what it’s worth, I think it’s a great site. I’d far rather read about actual young sígnings and then hear how they mature that read about speculative & stupid potential signings (that we know wont actually happen).
As for the concerns that a focus on kids may detract from the real issue of the first team – get real!! Any proper side has to deal with both…Wenger has the staff in place. You’d be amazed if a man with his attention to detail didn’t! In fact for Arsenal, youth are more important than in many English clubs but plenty of European clubs have been able to achieve this for years – Ajax is the best example who spring to mind.
Keep up the good work Jay.
A good example as to how buying kids isn’t screwing up the first team is Walcott – Eduardo. Walcott wasn’t ready to chip in with 15 goals per season when AW sold Henry, so AW snapped up Eduardo. It looked a brilliant move – then Eduardo, Van Persie and Rosicky all got seriously injured. And Walcott nor Bendtner were ready, in fact, and we came close but lost the title and in the quarterfinals of the Champions’ League. But AW wasn’t relying on kids!!! And he still isn’t. Arsenal had more internationals than any other club in England two seasons ago (16 – tied with chelsea), and are surely near the top this past season as well. So leave it with “the kids” argument ffs. They are add-ons, not in place of.
AW is not buying a superstar b/c he’d rather blood kids. He doesn’t think we need one for the price, or can’t get one to come b/c of the wages, or thinks egos aren’t always helpful on balance.
One_Gus.. I only speak for myself but did I said anything about NOT wanting to read this blog or that this ain’t good one!?
FFS, the name of the group is called YOUNG GUNS!! I repeat YOUNG GUNS, incase your not aware young defines anywayon normlly below the age of 21 hence the only news youll get is about YOUNG players playing for the GUNNERS! To all the glory mongers out there name one team with an average age of 23-24 that has reached a champs league final, never fielded a full strnght squad due to injuries,yer still out gunned multimillion dollar spending teams,id rather we suffer the next year as well in order to have a compact team that will win things for 7-8 years and churning out proper young home grun players! This dutch kid is 15 hell be ready in 6-7 years when diaby.denilson-who ever moes on yet we have areplacemnt that is trained under there skill and who better to have as a role model, same for freeman for wilshire, and so on!
33rd!
I also its important to mention, we will sign first team players.. but we also deal in youth development, this is seperate from all the first team stuff. its dealt with by different people.
Oh my god, are you guys wathcing the France game. Nasri on for a few mins and subbed off again, just cause Adibal got himself sent off. AND FOR BOUMSONG!? France need to score ffs. Domenech has lost his balls
Well, I asked that apart from Fabregas, name the wonderkids that have done the difference at our first team. RL is allready speaking of Freeman or Wilshire to replace Diaby / Denilson.. Players who aren’t first 11, maybe never will be. Believe me, I really do hope that they all make it.
Also, youth development is of course very, very important. And maybe it’s worth of all the good work if we can get one or two Fabregas every now and then.
Nasri signing confirmed on Al Jazeera again by Wenger.
A good example as to how buying kids isn’t screwing up the first team is Walcott – Eduardo. Walcott wasn’t ready to chip in with 15 goals per season when AW sold Henry, so AW snapped up Eduardo. It looked a brilliant move – then Eduardo, Van Persie and Rosicky all got seriously injured. And Walcott nor Bendtner were ready, in fact, and we came close but lost the title and in the quarterfinals of the Champions’ League. But AW wasn’t relying on kids!!! And he still isn’t. Arsenal had more internationals than any other club in England two seasons ago (16 – tied with chelsea), and are surely near the top this past season as well. So leave it with “the kids” argument ffs. They are add-ons, not in place of.
AW is not buying a superstar b/c he’d rather blood kids. He doesn’t think we need one for the price, or can’t get one to come b/c of the wages, or thinks egos aren’t always helpful on balance.
Slick said this on June 17, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I think this needs repeating.
I really hate that looking on newsnow post-Ramsey I’d see headlines like “Flamini replaced with 17 year old Ramsey – Sack Wenger”. I really hate that there isn’t a quality filter that stops stupid ass people who can’t figure out that ever since he came to Arsenal AW has bought established players AND potential kids.
Also, these are the same people who complain about us not being english enough that can’t see how the academy works and how it is independent of the first team until players are good enough to make a difference. Look at Barca: Messi, Xavi, Iniesta etc.; Real: Casillas, Raul and so on. Sure, most players who come through the system aren’t good enough but when you can nuture the likes of Fabregas or Clichy or Walcott or Bendtner, then it is worth it. And with the system slowly reaching the heights of technical ability we want it to, we can create great players. But if we need positions to be reinforced, we can still buy the likes of Sagna and Nasri.
And to the guy who said we just make great players only to sell them off: I can only think of 4 that can be contested. But Anelka wasn’t really made by us, Bentley and Pennant were rubbish for us (and still aren’t good enough for the top 4) and I forgot who my last example was. So he obviously must have been a top star. Moron. Oh, that and Fabregas, teammate of Ronaldo at Real Madrid. Oh wait…
hente: Cole, Clichy, Bendtner and Walcott? People want instant product but AW himself said this was to be a 10 year process and coincedently the end of that 10 (next year?) looks to produce the most exciting set of arsenal youths since the likes of Adams came through.
RVP supposedly scored.
Chris: Any linkage?
Ps this is not relevant but i speak arabic and al-jazeera the commentator was talking about Nasri’s 20 minute cameo and interviewing wenger.
COmmentator: “your new player Nasri came on for twenty minutes and got subber y”
Wenger: “NODS as in NODS he is my new player./…..” Dont know what would be a bigger indicatoer he is ours and its a done deal !
Now France our out I really wouldn’t be surprised if it happens tomorrow. Or at least by the end of the week. Nice reporting though RL.
hmmm ok lets take it from when wenger started our youth was full of crap Stepehn Hughes, Paolo Vernazza, John spicer, Liam Chilvers, Jay Boythord the list goes on and on, so sorting out the rubbish ( yest they are rubbish cause none play for a top team or even championship with the exception of Harper and Boythrd), and getting new blood in takes time. We got Cashley cole under wenger regime, Clichy from cannes,denilson from sao paolo, Fabregas who barcelona tossed out, Anelks who was still on his dummy ( probably still is ). All these are wonder kids and you wont get younger then that unless u want under 16’s so stop complaining about youngsters, and give the man his credit if you want glory and wenger our go spend 450 million pounds and be a chelsea scum!
Article on Nasri added
http://youngguns.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/samir-nasri-takes-another-huge-step-to-joining-arsenal/
VP scorred great to see him back on form, just hope bentender doesnt fall back into the shadows once our full strike force is in order! Adebayor, Walcott, Eduardo, RSVP what a strike force!!!
oh yea for the above the’average is 23, but wait wenger should f**k off and still not buy youngster, althought they are one of the most lethal strike force in the world!
cant wait for david pleat to pronounce his name he struggles with chimbonda as it is.
Samuel: I say nothing about the first name you mentioned. As for the rest.. I don’t count Clichy to the category of wonderkids as he was allready 18 when he came. Bendtner, I really hope I’m totally wrong in this, but can’t see him as our main striker not now or not in the future, sorry. And finally about Walcott. He’s of course ‘wonderkid’ but with the price, whatever it might be in the end, he has to be. So I still think that Cesc really is the only wonderkid to make some difference when it comes to challenge for the title.
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If u guys sick of signing kids and longing for signing superstars… Go support Chelsea or MU.Even Spuds… Barca and Milans splash a good cash on superstars too… Only true Arsenal supporters live their life with the club.I trust n believe what Arsene Wenger is doing.I’m proud to be a Gunner… Win, Lose or Draw… I’m always a Gunner
In Arsene we trust…
Wenger II: Don’t be surprised if Le-Grove hires a hit on you in the next couple of days.
So lets find out what these terrible youngsters signings have brought us (players that came through the academy or 18 years old or younger):
Brought us money: Bentley 3m, Cole 20m (Gallas was worth about 15m), Muamba 4m, Pennant 3.5m, Anelka 23m (these are just few examples)
Important first-team players: Fabregas and Clichy
Important squad players: Djourou, Song, Walcott, Vela, Bendtner, Ramsey, Senderos
Other first team players: Lansbury, Merida, Barazite, Traore
Other players that came young and for less than 3 millions: Toure, RvP, Eboue, Fabianski, Diaby
This list above includes the majority of our squad. Just because our first team does include other players than former wonderkids does not mean that it has been a mistake to buy them all. Fabregas or similar player would cost us 50 millions now and Clichy 15 millions so it can not be said it’s not worth it. Who knows how it might look by the end of the season. Walcott, Vela, Song and Djourou might all be in the starting line-up along with Clichy and Cesc.
Do not get so excited just yet. Chances are wheh he is 23, his agent will ask for exorbitant salary (which will not be granted, of course)and he will move to another club. Every youngsters’ agent knows that it is best to be trained under AW and then bugger off. They all know Arsenal is s selling club.
Le what? Haha
Cole was at the club all his life,Djourou,Vela & Song important squad players?Lansbury,Merida,Barazite & Traore 1st team players?
To all those who think there opinions are more valid than others i think you need to grow up.
Love your site Mr J.Sanderson.
Here is my take on the buying of youngsters.
You have to have a youth policy any and every club will need to
beef up their youth set up. As the transfer market has been going mental for the last few years and the way players can tear up contracts and walk out of clubs. The money has to be invested in producing and getting future players for the club, it’s the only sane way of going about things. Until agents/ players power is balanced out with regards of the needs of the club/fans.
I just wish someone would tell that to the English FA. Wasting money on putting a roof on Wembly when they should be investing heavily in spotting and nurturing English talent. And developing grass roots football in this country so that every area has enough good facilities for kids/adults to play football again.
We need to play more football as a nation instead of watching it on the TV.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/7462281.stm
just remeber who brought u the nod news first!
Guys this is young guns not flippin old guns!!!!!!!!!!!\
Those of you who think AW is crazy GO HOME, go support Man U or Chelsea an odinary side.
How dare any of you question our youth policy, When Nic Anelka signed for nearly nothing then went on to become a star at such a young age did any of you really bitch about the money we got for him? It paid for our spectacular training ground and more. If you only support a club because they win trophys your not a real football supporter. We play some of the best football on the planet i personally love the fact we dont play HOOF to win. Yes we all want to be up there but weve got 20 other teams wanting the same thing. Ask yourself this if Arsenal got relegated would you still support them?
If you had to think about that go support chelski or manure
EIE
Arsenal has won many leagues and have done extremely well. I don’t doubt the Arsenal system of brining in youngsters. Even if they turn out to be a flop, its better to have a man of 200k value be a flop, rather than a man of 20-mill value is a flop. You see Arsenal has nothing to lose by bringing in youngsters for the future. How many players have Milan, Barcelona, and Chelsea brought in, and then have preformed terrible (to say the least)? The number is uncountable because they have at least 1 or 2 every year these days. Arsenal brings in so many youth players every year because it provides a competition with the players. There are so many that eventually it gets watered down to what you see in the 1st team. Arsenal last year had at least 6 U21 players start in their 1st team. I don’t care if they turn out to be a wonder kid or not, all I am saying is that they contribute to the team. When Arsenal spends less than a mill to get a player, and Chelsea spends 10 mill to get a player, and in the end, they both contribute equally and Arsenal fairs just as good as Chelsea does in most seasons but for a fraction of the cost. Although Arsenal do need to bring in some big name players in certain position this year, I do not hesitate to agree with whatever Wenger pulls out of his sleeve. I have doubted the man too many times before and he has always come through, maybe not to the extent we have all liked, but he has come through. For example, how many people could have predicted the success Arsenal now has because of the departure of Henry? Since he has left, it has allowed players like Fabregas and Adebayor to bloom into their real potential, and no longer behind Henry’s shadow. Wenger has nothing but the best interests for Arsenal, and will not fail his team by bringing in the wrong players. He rarely, if ever brings in the wrong players, and when he does, he has the sense to let them go right then and there.
what position he is LCM