Arsenal are facing stiff competition from both Manchester United in their pursuit of Blackburn Rovers teenager Igor Tyjon, with the Premier League giants now attempting to hijack a move that Mikel Arteta hoped to wrap up early.
The Gunners recently saw a £1 million offer rejected for the highly rated 17-year-old, but remain interested in returning with an improved bid. However, according to a report from SportsBoom, both United and Man City have now made contact with Tyjon’s camp and are exploring a swoop that could see the England youth international bypass the Emirates altogether.
Tyjon made his senior debut for Blackburn Rovers last September as a second-half substitute in a 3–0 win over Bristol City. He later featured again in a 1–0 away victory against Sunderland, who would go on to win the Championship play-off final. In doing so, he became the third-youngest debutant in the club’s history, having featured before his 17th birthday.
The Southport-born forward, who is capped at both Under-16 and Under-17 level for England, has scored twice in eight games for the latter and is viewed by many within the game as one of the brightest attacking prospects outside the top flight.
Tyjon’s Stock on the Rise
With just a year remaining on his current two-year contract, speculation is mounting that Tyjon could follow in the footsteps of Adam Wharton, who left Ewood Park for Crystal Palace in an £18 million deal in 2024. Rovers boss John Eustace is believed to be keen on retaining the youngster, but there is a growing sense that the club may struggle to hold onto him if one of the Premier League elite make a concrete offer.
Both Manchester clubs are reportedly open to immediately loaning the forward back to the Championship if a deal is agreed, a proposal that could appeal to Blackburn, who are trying to rebuild around young talent following a challenging 2024–25 campaign.
For Arsenal, the competition presents a setback. Arteta had hoped to secure Tyjon’s signature as part of a continued investment in youth, having tracked the teenager’s progress with England’s development squads over the past year.
Writer’s View
This battle for Igor Tyjon could define the way elite clubs approach the lower-league market this summer. Arsenal’s initial move looked like a smart piece of forward planning, but the emergence of both Manchester clubs — armed with greater financial clout and flexible loan strategies — changes the landscape entirely. From Blackburn’s perspective, there may be no real loser here.
If Tyjon is destined to move on, keeping him in the Championship via a loan-back arrangement would allow John Eustace to build with his starlet for one more season while reaping the financial rewards. For Tyjon himself, the next move is critical — and will depend on which pathway offers first-team exposure, not just prestige.
