Teenage Cardiff midfielder Donczew joins Arsenal

Cardiff City teenager Axel Donczew has joined Arsenal as part of the Premier League champions’ first-year scholarship intake.

The 16-year-old attacking midfielder made headlines last October when he became Cardiff’s youngest ever senior player, a record broken this August by Noah Anyadike.

Cardiff say the club offered terms for Donczew to continue his development with the Bluebirds and made efforts to retain the player, but said he “opted to pursue a move away from the Welsh capital”.

Donczew has also signed a pre-contract agreement with Arsenal, a move the north London club say will “lead to him signing professional terms with us”.

The Bluebirds academy product has played for Wales at youth level, though he is also eligible to play for Poland.

Donczew was just 15 years and 234 days old when he came on as a substitute in Cardiff’s EFL Trophy game against Newport County.

He made a second first-team appearance for Cardiff last December, featuring as a substitute in an EFL Trophy defeat by Wimbledon.