Arsenal complete first transfer of 2025 to sign versatile star

Arsenal have agreed a six-figure deal for St Johnstone wonderkid Callan Hamill, with the teenager due to join the Gunners in the summer.

It was a quiet January for Mikel Arteta and his squad, with no new additions made despite a growing injury crisis in attack. A bid for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins was knocked back, while reports of a renewed push for Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic didn't end up bearing fruit.

All of this means Hamill, 15, becomes their first signing of 2025. The 15-year-old can play all across the back-line or in midfield, and has been capped by Scotland at Under-16 and Under-17 international level.

Hamill scored his first goal for Scotland's Under-16s just this week, netting in a victory over Cyprus. His move to Arsenal comes after interest from Rangers and Celtic last summer, but he signed new terms with St Johnstone last summer rather than jumping ship to one of the Old Firm.

According to reports from The Scottish Sun in 2024, Hamill impressed Jack Wilshere during the coach's time in charge of Arsenal's Under-18s. Wilshere has since left North London, taking over as a first team coach at Norwich under Johannes Hoff Thorup in October, but The Athletic reports that Hamill will still join the Gunners on July 1.

A number of players from the Under-18 side previously managed by Wilshere have been given a chance to mix it with Arsenal's senior side already. Young goalkeeper Jack Porter was thrust into action in the Carabao Cup in the autumn, while Max Dowman - still just 15 - has trained with the first team.

"Very impressive at his age," manager Arteta said of Dowman. "Some of the things he does in training are unbelievable. He's a player with a huge talent that we have a lot belief that we can develop him into becoming one of our own and he's doing very well so far."

While Hamill might be the first new addition to Arsenal's ranks in 2025, the club are also moving closer to landing their first senior signing. Spanish goalkeeper Joan Garcia has long been a target for the London side as they seek a regular back-up to David Raya, and Garcia's club Espanyol appear to have opened the door to a summer deal.

"Clause or nothing? No. In the [last] summer window, with call from Arsenal in the last week, it has to be that [clause]," Espanyol sporting director Fran Garagarza told Pericos Marca, as per Sport Witness. "But if you get an offer on June 14th that isn't the clause but is close in fixed and variable amounts, Espanyol are not going to say no. We can't say no. If a club comes with €8m (£6.6m) for Joan García, that's a bad sale, 100%."

Arsenal sold backup keeper Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton over the summer, signing Neto on loan from Bournemouth. The Brazilian has played just once for the club, though, and there have been no suggestions he will move to London permanently at the end of the campaign.