Promising young defender Julio Pleguezuelo Selva has spent the weekend in London ahead of the completion of his move to Arsenal for the forthcoming campaign in a deal that will see him become the third new signing already this summer for Carl Laraman’s U18 side.

The deal involving Pleguezuelo, who has been called up by Spain at U16 level and has worked his way through the ranks at Barcelona’s La Masia Academy, has been mooted for several months, and it now appears that the player, who turned 16 in January, will put pen to paper on a scholarship deal which will automatically turn into a professional contract when he turns 17.

The youngster, who can operate at right-back or centre-back, will provide Laraman with a much-needed defensive option ahead of the new campaign, but, following in the footsteps of fellow Barcelona graduates Hector Bellerin and Jon Toral, will be hopeful of progressing into the U21 set-up before his first season in North London reaches its denouement.

Pleguezuelo joins midfielder Dan Crowley, who was plucked from Aston Villa, and striker Jamaal Raage, who signed from IF Brommapojkarna at London Colney, and will report for training early next month.