Tottenham set to complete shock signing of highly-rated Arsenal youngster

Tottenham are on the verge of completing an audacious move and poaching highly-rated Arsenal youngster Kyran Thompson.

The 16-year-old joined the Gunners from West Ham two years ago and looked destined to become the next gem to roll off the Hale End Academy production line.

Thompson has made rapid progress through the ranks and has already made his Under 21 debut in Premier League 2.

Arsenal had been hoping to tie Thompson down to a new contact with his current scholarship terms expiring in little over a week’s time.

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With little progress having been made, rival clubs are beginning to circle with intent.

Manchester City attempted to sign the winger when he left the Hammers in a £1.1million deal and, according to the Daily Mail, have revived their interest.

Spurs, however, have emerged as the leading contenders to sign Thompson and are said to be growing increasingly confident of winning the race to sign a player Arsenal had earmarked for a bright future.

The likes of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman have all made first team impressions over the course of the last 18 months with Mikel Arteta increasingly willing to give young players a chance.

Marli Salmon and Jaden Dixon also made their senior debuts last season and Thompson, it was assumed, was on course to follow suit in the coming years.

The competition for attacking places at Arsenal is intense, however, with Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who plays in a similar position to Thompson, on the verge of agreeing a move to the Premier League champions.

Behind the scenes, meanwhile, Arsenal are still settling on a replacement for Per Mertesacker.

The former club captain has served as academy director for the entirety of Arteta’s managerial reign but departed at the end of last season.