Arsenal youth goalkeeper Alex Kovacevic is set to leave Arsenal this summer, after being given a farewell appearance on Friday.
Arsenal Youth report that Alex Kovacevic is set to leave Arsenal this summer, on the expiry of his scholarship contract.
The 17-year-old came on for an apparent farewell appearance in the final five minutes of Arsenal’s last u18 game of the season on Friday, replacing Alexei Rojas as a substitute.
Kovacevic had been out injured for the rest of 2023, only returning to fitness in time for the last day of the u18 campaign.
But even before that, the goalkeeper wasn’t guaranteed starts. He’d made three u18 Premier League starts in the first four months of the season, either sitting on the bench or missing out on the squad in the remainder of the games.
Arsenal have plenty of options in goal in the youth teams at the moment, and with Kovacevic’s injury struggles, it became difficult for him to make a case to be one of those retained by the club.
Noah Cooper has often been the man called upon for the u18s since the turn of the year, starting every game of the FA Youth Cup run to the final and most of the league games as well.
Rojas may well have played more if not for his call-up to the Colombia u20s in January, with the 17-year-old spending a month with his national side at the u20 South American Championship – winning bronze.
Then there’s Brian Okonkwo, the younger brother of Arsenal loanee Arthur, who has been in and around the u18 squad as well and played in the win over Aston Villa last week.
All three goalkeepers are younger than Kovacevic, who turns 18 next week.
In the older age groups, Arsenal have Karl Hein, Hubert Graczyk, James Hillson, Arthur Okonkwo, Ovie Ejeheri, and Tom Smith, as well as the more senior first-team goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale, Matt Turner, and Runar Alex Runarsson.
It’s one of the most stacked areas of the squad, and it’s inevitable that Kovacevic won’t be the only one to move on this summer.
