Arsenal star 'finally' agrees move after just one appearance

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Arsenal have let a star leave, with his new employer claiming he 'is a player we have followed for a long time'

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta (Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal have agreed the exit of a star who has only made one appearance for the Gunners.

After bringing in eight new faces over the summer transfer window of 2025 – including Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and Ebere Eze – Arsenal enjoyed a quiet January transfer window with no major incomings or exits.

Arsenal move on star with just one appearance, as selling record comes to light

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Despite the influx of arrivals over the summer, Arsenal haven't made too many major outgoings of late, with Nuno Tavares, Marquinhos, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Oleksandr Zinchenko fetching under £20 million for their combined sales this season.

The club's Hale End production line has been a regular source of profit, however, with the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, Folarin Balogun and Joe Willock all sold for between £20m and £30m, with their sales representing pure profit, thanks to their status as academy graduates.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta talks to substitutes (L) Emile Smith Rowe, (2ndL) Fabio Vieira and (3rdL) Eddie Nketiah during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal FC at Old Trafford on September 04, 2022 in Manchester, England.

Arsenal have sold academy products well in recent years (Image credit: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Another graduate in Charles Sagoe Jr, meanwhile, has just left London Colney, with his new club, Kalmar FF in Sweden, confirming a loan move.

Sagoe Jr made his Gunners debut in the 2023/24 League Cup tie against Brentford, as the only youth prospect given a debut that campaign, following Ethan Nwaneri's bow a year earlier – but the Londoner is now 2022 and hasn't played since for Arteta.

In that time, Sagoe Jr has appeared on loan at Swansea City and Shrewsbury Town, and even turned down an international call-up for Liberia.

Kalmar sporting director Mats Winblad has described the 21-year-old as “a player we have followed for a long time,” adding that Sagoe Jr “is stepping into training and hopefully we will see him in the game already on Saturday against IFK Norrkoping.”

With Sweden's top flight ranked lower in UEFA's coefficient than the top tier in Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus and Scotland, Sagoe Jr's move perhaps highlights Arsenal's recent struggles in developing their youngsters.

Martin Odegaard (R) pushes Charles Sagoe Jr (L) towards the Arsenal fans after the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Brentford and Arsenal at Gtech Community Stadium on September 27, 2023 in Brentford, England.

Martin Odegaard pushes Charles Sagoe Jr towards the Arsenal fans (Image credit: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Last year, the Gunners lost both Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi to Manchester United, while talents such as Dan Ballard, Xavier Amaechi and Reiss Nelson have been highly rated as youth players but never nailed down a consistent first-team spot at the Emirates Stadium.

Recently, Per Mertesacker stepped down as Academy Manager at the club, after eight years in the role.

Sagoe Jr is worth €300k, according to Transfermarkt. Arsenal take on Brentford in Premier League action tomorrow.

Mark White
Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.

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