Two trial players have joined Arsenal’s U17s for their successful win at the Flamengo Adidas Cup, with the tournament wrapping up this week.
Arsenal’s U17s traveled to Brazil on December 9 to take part in the Flamengo Adidas Cup, an international competition bringing together 10 youth teams.
Arsenal took a mix of their first year students, U16 and U15 players to the event, as well as two players not officially under contract with the club.
The first was Callan Hamillcurrently underway in St. Johnstone. Reports Over the summer it was suggested that Hamill had turned down Celtic and Rangers to join Arsenal at the age of 16, and it appears he continues to be given chances on a trial basis between -time.
Hamill turns 16 in March, so we’ll likely have confirmation of his future in a few months, but the Gunners could choose to wait until the summer to make it official.
The second player joining Arsenal for the tournament on a trial basis was Daniel McCarron from Dungannon Swifts in Northern Ireland.
McCarron has captained Northern Ireland’s Under-15s in the past, and it appears the Gunners are also considering him for a 2025 move.
The tournament went very well and the Gunners ultimately won the trophy.
The team won 3-1 against Colo Colo in their opening match, with Louis Zecevic-John score twice and Brando Bailey Joseph adding another. They then won 3-2 against Del Valle with goals from Angelinou, Alex Marciniak and Bailey-Joseph.
The next two group matches didn’t quite go as planned, with Arsenal drawing 0-0 against Midtjylland and losing 3-1 to Sao Paolo. Marley Frohock scored the team’s only goal in those two matches.
But two wins and a draw were enough to advance to the round of 16, and Zecevic-John scored his third and fourth goals of the tournament to earn the team a semi-final victory against GNK Dinamo.
This put Arsenal through to the final against hosts Flamengo, and they won 3-1 thanks to goals from Frohock, Bailey-Joseph and Maalik Hashi.
Winger Bailey-Joseph was named Man of the Match in the final, and his three goals also earned him a place alongside Arsenal’s Teshaun Murisa in the team of the tournament.
