Arsenal have told Luke Plange he won’t be handed a contract at the Emirates with the youngster set to join Derby County, as reported by Arsenal Youth.
After snapping up Beni Baningime and Teden Mengi on transfer deadline day two months ago, Wayne Rooney’s Rams are about to get their hands on another Premier League prospect.
But unlike Baningime and Mengi, who arrived on short-term loans from Everton and Manchester United respectively, it seems Plange will put pen to paper on a permanent contract.
Arsenal Youth claims the 18-year-old hasn’t been offered professional terms by the Premier League giants and will therefore be allowed to leave on a free.
And, following a brief trial at Queens Park Rangers, Plange is expected to join another Championship outfit in the shape of relegation-threatened Derby.
The results – and the goals – may have dried up in recent weeks but Rooney has shown plenty of faith in the next generation since taking over from Phillip Cocu at Pride Park.
Mengi, Jason Knight, Louie Sibley and Louie Watson all featured in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Millwall, with Lee Buchanan, Max Bird and Kornell McDonald on the bench.
Striker Plange has scored four goals in nine U18 games for Arsenal this season.
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