Official: Arsenal Announce First January Signing As Defensive Reinforcement 1

Arsenal have announced the signing of Cohen Bramall as young professional.

The 20-year-old joins from Northern League Premier Division side Hednesford Town for around £40,000.


He had a trial in December and impressed Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger when he trained alongside the first-team.

Last week, Wenger compared Bramall to former Gunners defender Ashley Cole and described him as an ‘exceptional physical talent’.

And Bramall has already set his sights on breaking into the first-team.

“In the next six months I want to try and build on keeping the ball, being powerful, and getting my body used to full-time football,” he told Sky Sports.

“Hopefully I’ll go on pre-season with them and try to break into the first team.

“That’s my goal, that’s what I want to do as soon as possible. I’m just going to take everything on board and go for it.”

Bramall is seen as one for the future and will hook up with their Under-23 squad, while Arsenal have been looking for a new left back as they believe there is a gap in the squad.

Incumbents Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs are both internationals but boss Arsene Wenger wants depth at the position.

Wenger is unlikely to spend too heavily in January with the Frenchman preferring to wait until the summer for his top targets.

Bramall spells across non-league at Kidsgrove Athletic, Nantwich Town and Newcastle Town before joining Hednesford in the summer. The 20-year-old impressed and earned himself a full-time contract and scored one goal in 26 appearances.

Mathieu Debuchy could be allowed to leave though after his bust-up with Arsene Wenger.

Gunners boss Wenger was angry with French full-back Debuchy for claiming that Arsenal blocked him leaving for Manchester United in January 2016.

Wenger was originally planning to keep 31-year-old Debuchy as cover at right back with Carl Jenkinson going out on loan for the rest of the season.

But Debuchy’s outburst in the French press – in which he claimed Wenger blocked him leaving for Old Trafford and also did not speak to him – has gone down spectacularly badly.