England youth international of Nigerian descent Mishel Nduka reportedly chose to leave Arsenal after receiving a significantly more lucrative offer from Manchester City, with the Citizens said to have offered the 16-year-old midfielder £20,000 a week to secure his signature.
Nduka was widely expected to sign a scholarship deal with Arsenal, but the Premier League champions announced their latest intake this week, with his name notably absent from the nine teenagers who put pen to paper on two-year deals.
The talented teenager has agreed to join Manchester City on scholarship terms and is expected to sign his first professional contract after turning 17 in April 2027.
The highly rated midfielder spent less than a year at Arsenal's Hale End Academy following his arrival from Charlton Athletic in September 2025.
Nduka made an impressive 10 appearances in the U18 Premier League during his final season as a schoolboy while also making his debuts in the Premier League 2 and the UEFA Youth League, underlining how highly he was regarded by Arsenal's coaching staff.
According to the Daily Mail, Nduka's agreement with Manchester City includes wages of £20,000 per week, equivalent to around £1 million per year (approximately ₦1.8 billion annually).
The lucrative financial package was a key factor in Nduka's decision to continue his development at Manchester City.
On a positive note for Arsenal, another midfielder of Nigerian descent, Emerson Nwaneri, who was reportedly on his way out of the Emirates Stadium, has performed a U-turn by accepting the club's offer of a scholarship contract.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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