Sources: Portsmouth agree to sign Arsenal star Zak Swanson
Portsmouth have agreed to sign Arsenal defender Zak Swanson, Football Insider understands.
The 21-year-old has been given the green light to leave the London giants after a loan spell in Holland with MVV Maastricht in 2020.
A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Portsmouth have beaten off interest from a number of clubs to land Swanson.
Pompey boss Danny Cowley has made the youngster a priority signing as he looks to build a squad capable of challenging for promotion from League One next season.
Swanson, who has come through the ranks at Arsenal, had a loan spell in Holland with MVV Maastricht in 2020 and he was a regular for the club’s Under-23s.
Cowley has already added Marlon Pack to the Pompey squad who finished 10th in the 2021-22 campaign, 10 points behind the play-off positions.
A right-back by trade, Swanson is capable of playing across the back line and in midfield.
Mahlon Romeo was Pompey’s first-choice right-back for the 2021-22 season but he has now signed for Cardiff City on a permanent deal.
Swanson has been training with the Arsenal first team this summer and was named on the bench for the final 15 Premier League games of 2021-22.
He did not make his senior bow for the Gunners but played three times when on loan with MVV Maastricht in the Netherlands’ second-tier.
The Cambridge-born ace scored twice and provided two assists in 32 games for Arsenal Under-23s.
In other news, Kieran Maguire has issued a “huge” Arsenal claim after a new Stan Kroenke development.