Arsenal’s promising academy graduate, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, is on the brink of joining Serie A side Genoa in a permanent transfer.
The 20-year-old defender, who impressed during his loan spell at Millwall last season, is expected to undergo medical tests in Italy later this week, with the deal nearly finalized.
Norton-Cuffy, known for his strong performances in the English Championship, made 40 appearances for Millwall, contributing two goals and four assists.
His former teammate, Ryan Leonard, has high hopes for the young defender, stating last December: "He’s got a hell of a future in the game."
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A bright future ahead for Norton-Cuffy
Having joined Arsenal in 2020 after starting his career at Chelsea’s academy, Norton-Cuffy quickly rose through the ranks, earning a reputation as one of Hale End’s brightest talents.
However, with limited opportunities in Arsenal’s first team, the decision to move to Genoa seems to be the best step for his development.
The deal between Genoa and Arsenal for Brooke Norton-Cuffy includes a €2 million ($2.2m) fixed fee, with an additional €2 million ($2.2m) in potential add-ons.
Brooke has agreed to a five-year contract with Genoa, who successfully outbid clubs from Ligue 1, the Bundesliga, and the UK. Arsenal have also secured a sell-on clause in the agreement, with the medical scheduled within the next 48 hours, as per Fabrizio Romano.
Arsenal fans may feel a tinge of disappointment at losing a promising player, but the move is seen as beneficial for both the club and the player.
Genoa, who recently sold Italy international Mateo Retegui to Atalanta, are looking to strengthen their squad with young talents like Norton-Cuffy. The English right-back will be following in the footsteps of Tottenham’s Djed Spence, who also found success during a loan spell with Genoa last season.
