Arsenal announce the signing of 16-year-old star Wales youth defender from Premier League rival, who will join the academy as a first-year scholar

Arsenal have signed a promising 16-year-old centre-back from the youth team of one of their Premier League rivals.

The senior team currently leads the race for the English top-flight title, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference and one point ahead of third-placed Manchester City.

The young gunners reached the FA Youth Cup final last year, that they lost to West Ham, and have strengthened their promising squad by seeking a new addition from another Premier League academy.

Brayden Clarke, 16, joins Arsenal as a first-year scholarship player, having spent his early years in the Wolves academy. according to the gunners website.

Clarke, who will turn 17 in July, played 10 games for Wolves under-18s before moving south.

Clarke immediately entered the Arsenal under-18 starting line-up on Saturday.

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Clarke was a member of the Wales under-17 team that reached the European Championship final last year, the first to reach a major final since 1981.

He was announced on Saturday morning and immediately entered the Arsenal under-18 starting line-up when they hosted Crystal Palace in a league match later that day.

The Gunners led that game 4-1 at half-time.

Jack Wilshere’s under-18s were knocked out of this year’s FA Youth Cup after a heavy 7-1 defeat to Liverpool in January.

Mikel Arteta’s senior team has no game this weekend due to a rescheduled league match due to Chelsea’s FA Cup commitments.

Arsenal beat Porto on penalties and qualified for the Champions League quarterfinals

On Tuesday night, they beat Porto on penalties to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they will face Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich.

Their next outing is a trip to Manchester City on March 31, which could prove pivotal in the title race.