Midfielder turned goalkeeper, James Shea, has been one of Arsenal’s most improved players in the last 12 months, having kept goal as Steve Bould’s Under 18′s made history in lifting the Premier Academy League title along with the F.A Youth Cup.

The Islington-born stopper signed his first professional contract during the summer – completing a superb year. Many had concerns over Shea’s abilities and his lack of height when he penned scholarship forms in October 2007, yet he’s proved himself as reliable, agile and very aware of danger. Some of the mistakes that brought those comments are still there, but another season like the last and the 17-year-old will be well on his way to becoming a top ‘keeper.

James has had massive success in his short yet eventful career as a goalkeeper. He’s previously won both the Atalanta and Nike Cup’s and proved a worthy deputy for Wojciech Szczęsny at Academy level. However, last season he got his big chance and made 28 appearances including 3 for the Reserves. Some sublime stops including a peach to deny Lauri Dalla Valle against Liverpool cemented Shea’s place as Bould’s number one.

His rate of development is unlimited and after training with the first team over pre-season, James is quickly gaining a strong relationship with the first-team goalkeepers. Maybe one day he will be one of them.

Name: James Shea
Nickname: None
Age: 18
Nationality: English
International: No
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 180 cm
Previous Clubs: None
Contract :Professional