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From Arsenal to Croatia's second tier: A bizarre transfer that makes perfect sense

Updated: 1 Jun 2026 16:20 BST | 8 min read

Josh Nicols, Arsenal, Kustosija

Tom Weber

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Arsenal youngster Josh Nichols has completed an eyebrow-raising transfer to Croatian lower-league side NK Kustosija.

A Gunners academy product, the 19-year-old made his senior debut in September 2024, but he has since failed to kick on. Nichols did not make a first-team appearance in 2025/26, though he did make the matchday squad for Arsenal's Champions League clash with Club Brugge in December.

In that context, it is no surprise that the teenager has decided to leave the club he had been playing for since the age of eight. He simply needed a change of scenery in order to really kickstart his career in senior football.

His destination, however, is a strange one. He has joined NK Kustosija, a club from Western Zagreb who have just been promoted to the second tier of Croatian football after coming second in the third division.

While it is not unusual for English youngsters to go abroad after failing to make the grade at Premier League clubs, moving to the lower leagues in Croatia is quite a drastic decision. Upon closer inspection, though, the choice makes perfect sense.

Who are NK Kustosija?

Most casual football fans will never have heard of Kustosija, but if you are paying close attention to the transfer market, you will have come across that particular name a fair few times in recent years.

Kustosija are a fairly unique project and have managed to build a strong reputation as a youth development club. They first made major headlines in 2023/24 when they sold Mika Faye to Barcelona for a record-shattering €5 million plus bonuses.

Such a fee had never before been paid for a player coming from Croatia's lower leagues. In doing so, Kustosija really put their name on the map. Faye, a defender by trade, didn't make the cut at Barca, but he did become a senior Senegal international and later moved to Stade Rennais.

That same season, Kustosija also sold Din Klapija to RB Leipzig for €3m, potentially rising to €5.2m. The move was facilitated by Andy Bara, a former player who has become something of a Croatian super agent.

Bara made his name by bringing Dani Olmo to Dinamo Zagreb in 2014. He still represents him to this day, as well as Barcelona teammate Joan Garcia. Bara also previously handled the affairs of Marcelo Brozovic.

Bara has close ties to Kustosija, acting as a kind of sponsor and advisor since 2022 (officially working for the club would be a conflict of interest), which has allowed them to pull off transfers that would otherwise be impossible for a side of their stature.

The agent's relationship with Kustosija is akin to Jorge Mendes' link with Wolves in England. Because of Bara's connections, the Croatian side have been able to bring in highly rated youngsters from various continents with the aim of selling them on for profit.

Bara is clearly doing a hell of a job, too, because none of the prospects sold by Kustosija for decent money have thus far managed to break through at their new clubs. They may not actually be that good, yet bigger sides continue to shop at Kustosija.

According to Croatian media, 18-year-old Ecuadorian midfielder Carlos Mejia is set to join Royal Antwerp for around €2m this summer. Previously, Rodolfo Aloko and Baye Coulibaly were sold to the development club of MLS side Charlotte FC for a combined €6m.

The club's location is also important: it is easier to attract talent when you are based in a country's capital rather than in a provincial town. Having achieved promotion back to the second tier, Kustosija are now gunning to reach the first division within the next few years.

Kustosija may not remain in Zagreb's West for much longer, however. Bara is currently in discussions with the mayor of nearby Sveta Nedelja (east of Zagreb) to relocate the club and build facilities there.

These facilities would be open to the public to help the club generate additional revenues. Kustosija is clearly not just Bara's plaything. There are sound business calculations that underpin his involvement with the club.

This context is important when trying to understand why in the world 19-year-old Nichols has moved from Arsenal to Kustosija. They are an intriguing club that is clearly on the up.

They have a proven track record of selling talent for good money. Nichols could be the next prospect to use Kustosija as a springboard for bigger and better things.