ARSENAL have confirmed the signing of teenage talent Omar Rekik from Hertha Berlin.
The Gunners have made the 19-year-old defender their first signing of the January transfer window for a fee reportedly worth around £500,000.
Omar Rekik is set to swap Berlin for LondonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Emirates Stadium bigwigs attempted to recruit Rekik last summer but could not get a deal over the line before the October deadline.
A statement from the club read: “Omar Rekik has signed a professional contract with us and joins our Under-23s squad.
“The 19-year-old has joined us from Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. Omar is a ball playing centre half who can play on both sides.
“Omar was born in the Netherlands and he has played internationally at youth level for Tunisia and the Netherlands. Throughout his youth career he also spent time at Feyenoord, Manchester City, PSV Eindhoven and Marseille.
“Everyone at Arsenal welcomes Omar to the club and we look forward to supporting his ongoing development.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes Rekik has the talent to go far in the game.
Speaking before the deal was confirmed, Arteta said: “He is a young talent that we have been following for a while that has a really bright future, but we will give more details when we can.”
Rekik had not made his senior debut for Hertha Berlin before travelling to north London.
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He featured on the bench three times in the Bundesliga, however.
Rekik was a regular in the German fourth tier for Hertha’s B team, making eight appearances this term.
Arsenal academy coach Per Mertesacker has reportedly played a key part in bringing the rising star to the club.
Rekik could prove to be a versatile asset for the Gunners because he is comfortable playing at the heart of defence and in defensive midfield.
Arsenal have been trimming their senior defensive options in this transfer window.
Sead Kolasinac was loaned to Schalke until the end of the campaign before £27million hot prospect William Saliba agreed to join Nice for the rest of the season.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Shkodran Mustafi have also been linked with exits after finding themselves on the fringes.
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Omar Rekik shows his skills in training for Hertha Berlin
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
