Manchester United are on the verge of snapping up former Arsenal youngster Joseph Olowu after handing him a trial.
As reported by United in Focus, Manchester United have roped in Joseph Olowu from Arsenal. The youngster is currently playing for the club’s reserve side after being signed on trial. He recently started in Man United’s U23 game against Kidderminster, and the Premier League giants have the option to make the move permanent.
A native of Nigeria, Olowu is a free agent on paper. He was formerly of Arsenal, joining the London club’s youth setup in 2012 at just 13. He enjoyed exponential growth, rising up the ranks to be eventually handed a promotion to the reserve side back in 2018.
Unfortunately, that is when the defender’s progress at Emirates came to a halt. He couldn’t make a big impact in the youth competitions but was shipped to Cork City on loan back in February 2020. The defender spent around eight months in Ireland, featuring in 15 league matches, before returning to London last October.
Arsenal didn’t retain Olowu’s services as he joined fifth-tier English outfit Wealdstone FC before eventually leaving the Gunners this summer. He has now joined the Manchester United camp on trial, hoping to make an impression for a side that hasn’t performed well defensively during the Elite Development League last season.
Although the Red Devils are yet to sign him permanently, his addition might be useful for the club as they lack reliable defensive options in the defensive unit. Olowu’s experience, in that regard, should be useful for Neil Wood’s team.
As for Arsenal, their academy has enjoyed a healthy boom in recent years, producing talents like Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock. However, there is a dearth of defensive talents coming in, which is why the release of a talented player like Joseph Olowu was a questionable move by the north London giants.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see whether the 21-year-old centre-back can make an impression at Manchester United. Even if he does, though, his path to the first team might be a little difficult following the arrival of Raphael Varane that has forced multiple players to consider an Old Trafford exit this summer.
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