Rangers’ senior recruitment man Phil Cowen is set to join Arsenal as their head of academy scouting after serving his notice period at Ibrox.
According to Football Insider, Arsenal are set to make an important appointment at the academy level, with Rangers man Phil Cowen about to join them. He has proved himself a key figure at Ibrox with his senior recruitment role and will now head up the Gunners academy recruitment.
Phil Cowen came to be renowned for bringing in several youngsters currently thriving at Rangers, with some on the brink of breaking into the first team. The senior recruitment man at Ibrox has been serving his notice, with a move to Arsenal very much on the cards.
Cowen has made his mark with his work at Rangers, with players like Alex Lowry and Leon King coming up under his watchful eye. He also brought 17-year-old Mason Munn, incidentally linked with Arsenal, to the club, and he is also making a positive mark.
Overall, Rangers have benefitted from him greatly, and now he is set to join Arsenal in January. The report states Cowen has already concluded his notice period and will officially set foot in north London around next month, as the Premier League side will make the appointment official.
Cowen will head the academy recruitment at Arsenal, with the Gunners ready to modernise their methods in that department. In the last few years, Edu Gaspar has successfully revamped the club’s senior recruitment and scouting operations, with the academy changes next in line.
Arsenal have produced some notable talents in recent years, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe and Reiss Nelson coming through their ranks. Others like Ainsley-Maitland Niles, Joe Willock and Alex Iwobi have also shined but are playing football elsewhere.
The next batch of exciting talents on the brink of first-team action consists of youngsters like Ethan Nwaneri, who Arsenal secured to a long-term deal. Others like Reuell Walters, Lino Sousa, Amario Cozier-Dubbery and Myles Lewis-Skelly are also training regularly with the senior squad this season.
Arsenal are eager to compete with the likes of Manchester City, who have aced the academy game. The Premier League champions sold £70 million academy talents in the summer and are about to conduct more business.
Arsenal aims to thrive with their Hale End academy and produce stars that will benefit the first team directly or indirectly. The appointment of Cowen will take them to the next desired level and probably improve the Gunners’ chances of making a significant mark in the youth scene.
