Arsenal are keen to do a deal for Stoke City defender Jaden Dixon this summer, according to Football Insider.
The Premier League giants had enquired for the Potters youngster on deadline day, but their approach was rejected by the Championship side. The Gunners look set, however, to reignite their interest in the summer transfer window as they look to add to their squad, with Dixon qualifying as a homegrown player, which will help with squad registration rules.
Mikel Arteta’s side’s interest in Dixon came at the end of a window where they lost academy defender Ayden Heaven to rivals Manchester United, so they will be looking to replace him and Dixon has clearly caught the eye. Heaven was highly thought of at the Emirates Stadium and has already made the bench for Ruben Amorim’s side at Old Trafford, so Dixon will have big shoes to fill should he move to North London at the end of the season.
The 17-year-old defender has already made a name for himself in Staffordshire and appears to have a very exciting future, which Stoke fans will hope will be at their club. The 17-year-old has been at the club since leaving Tottenham Hotspur’s academy in 2023, and has become a key part of several squads. He is a regular at under-21 level for Stoke and has broken into the senior squad this season.
Capable of playing at both right-back and centre-back, Dixon has six appearances in all competitions for Stoke this season, including playing the full 90 minutes on two occasions in the League Cup. He is also breaking into England’s under-18 squad, having made himself a regular at under-19 level. It’s this which has clearly caught the eye at Arsenal, and it will be interesting to see where Dixon is playing his football next season.
Writer’s View
This interest is a testament to Dixon’s quality and the breakout season he has had; anyone playing at his level at age 17 is going to attract attention from the elite teams. While Arsenal will want him as soon as possible to try and help him develop and for their home squad quotas, a move this summer is probably not sensible. Another season at Stoke would allow him to properly establish himself, get some more football and and give him a better chance of success when he does move. For Stoke, it would allow them to pick up a higher fee when they do sell. A move is inevitable if Dixon carries on like this, but waiting a year is probably wise.
