Arsenal have confirmed this morning that Dutch Under 19 captain Oğuzhan Özyakup has signed his first professional contract with the club. The deal replaces the scholarship he penned during the summer and runs through to the summer of 2011.
The exciting central midfielder joined the club from Eredivisie Champions AZ Alkmaar in April 2008 for a fix-figure-sum. After starting in the Under 16’s he quickly progressed into the Under 18’s and finished the campaign with 12 appearances and four goals. As a part of the Holland setup Oğuzhan has reached both the Under 17 and Under 19 finals – the latter as skipper of the side.
Speaking shortly after signing the new deal, the youngster, who recently turned 17, gave a brief interview to newspapers in his homeland.
“The club makes it clear that they see something in me. It feels like a reward.”
Özyakup also admitted he had received some encouraging words from manager Arsène Wenger. The Frenchman has invited the play-maker to first team training on numerous occasions.
“He told me that I still have a long way to go. I must continue to do well and my best every day the best on the field would be.”
In other news, Young Guns is featured on today’s brilliant ArseCast over at Arseblog. I talk over a range of things connected to the youth system with Arseblogger including the Carling Cup win over West Brom, a day in the life of a young Gunner and we also discuss some players for the future. You can listen the ‘cast and read more from the biggest Arsenal blog around by clicking the link below.
Click Here To Listen To This Weeks ArseCast
Article By – J.Sanderson
Ey, J, where are you from? Cause I had a hard time placing your accent… I am an English student and specialising in Etymology, but yours I can not place… Essex? East London? Midland? Help me…
good performance on Arsecast though, well done.
Oh, and ps, he reached the final of the Under-17s as a captain, last year, but was not even in the Under-19 setup.
Wooot! Young Guns on the Arsecast…I’m happy now J, one big happy family!
It’s a real mixture mate. I’ve been all over. I was born in Nottinghamshire but I’ve lived all over really so it’s a mish-mash. Most people can’t place it.
Cheers for the support btw :)
Good job on the arsecast.
gr8 news J.i like Arseblogger,he writes a good (hilarious) blog ;)
http://www.onsoranje.nl/news/content/news/oranje/onder-18/Nieuw-contract-laat-Ozyakup-stralen.html
Picture of Ozyakup signing with Wenger.
Great find mate, cheers for that
How did you get to be friends with Jay Simpson? Go to school together or something?
Someone finds a picture for you on another site you weren’t aware of, and immediatly you claim copywrite on it? :D
Another good signing. The Gunners still need a striker. Keep the young guys coming. This will help the big club down the road.
bobby pleeaase shut up. XD anyway good arsecast :) JS.
how really good is Ozyakup
Very professional performance Mr Sanderson.
Good work J! Loved hearing about the inner workings of both the blog but also the youth workings. I’m also very interested in the idea of not talking about the special players- I have noticed that since Afobe really starting catching everyones eye he was talked about by everyone and now its just gone silent. As much as that is the club (and YG) not wanting to see his name overhyped, I think fans/readers also knew to check themselves. We all know he’s a very talented lad, and a smile goes on our face whenever he does something like score for England but until he reaches the Carling Cup team we can be patience and forgiving if he doesn’t score Gerd Muller figures :) Interesting as well that you mention secrecy about Watt though- I think that people were almost confounded by him in the Carling Cup just because they assumed that to be admired by Wenger would mean he’d have a similar hype to Wilshere’s unavoidable press.
Something that bugged me was how many times arseblogger keeps saying how many won’t make it. I know it is true in one sense – defenders usually have a harder time and considering our first team is already very young and very talented, you’ll have to be special to break in – but many seem like they will. There are spots in the first team waiting to be filled by a class youngster (GK, CB, DM, S, maybe a winger, maybe a RB), there are certainly players that look so good that we’ll have to find space for them no matter (yr Wilsheres and Ramseys) and from there we will still be looking at trying to match Barca on promoting 2 or 3 youths a season. (Last season they had Busquiets and Pedro, we had Gibbs and Wilshere etc.). So in trying to tamper the hype regarding our youth project, don’t underestimate it.
Good news. surprised Ozyakup only signed on a two year contract. Also read on Daily Mail (think it was) Sanchez Watt has only one year left on contract
Great news
So you know Jay Simpson… well now it is certain he wont make it at Arsenal. No wonder why they loaned him out.
I think Simpson is exactly the kind Arsenal need with his power and direct approach in an attack otherwise filled with flair, and Wenger chose qpr because of the proximity to Arsenal where Wenger may keep a watch over him and give him guidance.
Ozyakup, Good player, I think Nico Yennaris will be good for us to, they would play well for us, yennaris would allow ozyakup more of a free role.
wont he be captaining the Netherlands U-17 in the U-17 World Cup? he did during the European Championships
Greg: yes, he will.
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Congratulations on the Arsecast, J!!! Brilliant!!!
That’s good news man.. I hope he will next year play for the first team!!
I swear it’s the u-18’s World Cup…..
Speaking of World Cup’s….Poor Tahiti shouldn’t even be there. Way out of their league. Spain spanked them 8-0. Fran scored a corker and along with a few of his team-mates seemed as though he was taking the piss a little.
Any truth to the rumours of us tracking 20 yr old Spanish right back, Cesar Azpilicueta?
Hope so, he was great yesterday.
J, is it true we are tracking azpilicueta? Is he good enough to succeed sagna?
Liverpool in Carling Cup, will be a tough one. If the young guys win this then big thumbs up. The squad with among other a young denilson almost beat a full strength Chelsea in the final a few years ago it is possible. guess wenger will pay a stronger squad then last round against them, with a few more first squad players. With Merida back as well
J – Loved the cast on Arseblog. Don’t mean to be rude, but out of curiousity, how old are you?
kv: it’s a september transfer rumour. a september transfer rumour. it’s about as reliable as saying i invented jetpacks. (i haven’t, the most i know about science is table salt is nacl, fuck off would i know how to invent things.)
Liverpool in the Cup! Always love putting 6 past the car-stereo-thiefs!
Also Final Score had it pop along the bottom that Arsenal Yth beat Fulham Yth 4-2, is that the u18s?
Also Reading beating Lansbury, I mean Watford. I’m sure more people care about the team than the 1 player, haven’t made it into Readings half.
J Simpson has scored!
oh, I got that wrong. He hasn’t scored but his name is the one being mentioned most on final score.
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