" Axel Donczew leaves "

Arsenal agree deal to sign 16 year old talent Axel Donczew from Cardiff City, here we go!

Donczew became Cardiff City’s youngest ever player in the EFL Trophy in October 2025, now set to sign for Arsenal this week.

16 year old already completed his medical at Arsenal.

This stinks , the rules need changing .

This stinks , the rules need changing .

Agree its a disgrace

It sucks, but all the best to him in his career. They must really see potential in him as even the lure of Murphy and his reputation for being the kids on wasn’t enough.

Leaving for a club which sits 2nd from bottom in playing academy players in the first team
He will need all the luck he can muster,and be world class to get a game in the first team

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/559608 ... s-chances/

Obviously Donczew chose to accept the offer so not all the blame can be labelled at the academy category process.

I'd been led to believe that the contract that Crew first signed when he went to Leeds (not included the updated contract he's signed since) would have meant that he would have been set up for life even if he didn't make it as a professional at Leeds.

I think the thoughts and views of parents is important as well. Maybe Donczew's parents advised him to go whereas Tankiewicz's father stated that his son should show loyalty to Cardiff and had a better chance of playing at Cardiff rather than either Manchester clubs who had offered his Ex wife a job etc

Cardiff will get Compensation:

Remember some of the players who have left Cardiff have not always made it.

The club the player leaves can get compensation money if the player turns down an offer to stay and signs for a new club in the UK.

This payment is called youth training compensation or a development fee. It covers the cost of training and coaching the player through the academy years.

Offer to stay: The old club must offer the player a new registration or scholarship in writing before they leave.Rejection: If the player says no and chooses a new club, the new club must pay compensation.Setting the price: Both clubs try to agree on a fair price. If they cannot agree, a football tribunal decides the final amount.

Need to just look at this scenario to see why lot more youngsters never made it to 1st team? Because they get snatched by big clubs by age of 15 recent season had 3 go and nothing club can do about it money ambition is paramount to kids and their parents... we are talking kids more talented than Lawlor rubin ect

This will keep happening until our academy is upgraded to category 1

But I don't see that happening unless we are back in the prem

Think it costs minimum of 2.5m annually and the training facilities will need investment

This happens to 90% of Clubs unless they upgrade their Accademy.

Don’t forget Axel 100% wanted to go

Don’t forget Axel 100% wanted to go

Can't really blame him as it's a big club, Arsenal will probably give money to his family too for them to move to London.

History suggests it's unlikely he'll break into their first team but it's a chance to be at a massive club.

I always think it's better for these young players if they go abroad though. Jude Bellingham chose to go to Dortmund instead of Man Utd and it helped his career a lot.

Don’t forget Axel 100% wanted to go

That's the big point his parents and himself, but as someone said he is never going into the first team or near it ,I think it's all about i play for arsenal man united chelsea etc, a bimbo on his arm shortly ,do I look the part.

Ned and Monty.

Personally I think he has left to early and will probably go by the wayside and become forgotten like 99% are.

Just think what £60k a year into a pension or other investment tool for 4 years does for a 20 year. He'll end up with £1.4 million at 55 !!!!

We can't compete and if it were my kid i'd do the same thing.

Ned and Monty.

Personally I think he has left to early and will probably go by the wayside and become forgotten like 99% are.

At 16 you need to be exceptional rooney played for Everton first team at that age,
the young lad for Spain just now, you have to be close and as good as to play for a prem team ,he may break through but so do all the other kids they have and he never got near cardiff first team even on the bench.

Arsenal agree, really dud we have a choice, f*cking disgrace

It's yet another example that we should not spend one extra penny on the academy, as all our best youngsters get poached.

Every available penny needs to be invested into improving the first team. We need to get to the Premier League first, then we will be able to keep our better youngsters. There is no other way unfortunately.

It's yet another example that we should not spend one extra penny on the academy, as all our best youngsters get poached.

Every available penny needs to be invested into improving the first team. We need to get to the Premier League first, then we will be able to keep our better youngsters. There is no other way unfortunately.

I think that's what Brentford did.

Don’t forget Axel 100% wanted to go

And there lies the problem annis! 4k a year at city .......or new house for parents god knows how much more money that arsenal can offer?
Like I've said before really talented ones go before ready for 1st team he's actually quite old normally its around 14yrs old they go.... this is why bbm is so important he appears to be happy to put in 16/17 yr into 1st team squad that is important for these youngsters to see! But always get those that see fame women and £££££s before their eyes....

It's yet another example that we should not spend one extra penny on the academy, as all our best youngsters get poached.

Every available penny needs to be invested into improving the first team. We need to get to the Premier League first, then we will be able to keep our better youngsters. There is no other way unfortunately.

I think that's what Brentford did.

Brentford took 8yrs of buying and selling players plus they used total anylictic stats to buy players! they looked at every aspect of players performances before buying .....if i remember rightly they sold £180m of players to finance their attempt
But they got it right now question

Ned and Monty.

Personally I think he has left to early and will probably go by the wayside and become forgotten like 99% are.

In terms of his career your probably spot on, chances are he'd have been in our team in a year or two, I doubt he's going to ever play for Arsenal. As a personal financial decision it's very hard to argue with, lots of money, being loaned out and then probably sold on once they decide what your level actually is

Category 1 status only means we would get a few more quid. We must remember these are children who can not be held to contract until their 17th birthday.

We needn't throw the baby out with the bathwater; we still have a lot coming through

Ned and Monty.

Personally I think he has left to early and will probably go by the wayside and become forgotten like 99% are.

I agree also and unless he’s exceptional like Ramsey was then he’ll end up being loaned out in a couple of years.

Category 1 status only means we would get a few more quid. We must remember these are children who can not be held to contract until their 17th birthday.

We needn't throw the baby out with the bathwater; we still have a lot coming through

He's quite old for academy normally they're grabbed at 13/14 yrs ..... unless they think he's good enough to make it in a year or so when can sighn professional contract?

I wish the boy the best of luck! It’s a heck of an opportunity!

It’s just a crap situation where the ‘big’ clubs can benefit cheaply from the work put into a player by another club

Does anyone know what ‘rules’ cover who can poach a youngster in this way and who cannot?

I wish the boy the best of luck! It’s a heck of an opportunity!

It’s just a crap situation where the ‘big’ clubs can benefit cheaply from the work put into a player by another club

Does anyone know what ‘rules’ cover who can poach a youngster in this way and who cannot?

Chris, I believe there’s a payment (£500k?) due to him making a first team appearance. Happy to be corrected on this though.

Good Luck to the Lad .

I wish the boy the best of luck! It’s a heck of an opportunity!

It’s just a crap situation where the ‘big’ clubs can benefit cheaply from the work put into a player by another club

Does anyone know what ‘rules’ cover who can poach a youngster in this way and who cannot?

Chris, I believe there’s a payment (£500k?) due to him making a first team appearance. Happy to be corrected on this though.

You’re corrrct, mate; that’s what I meant by saying Arsenal and their ilk ‘benefit cheaply’ when his projected value could be huge

Just think what £60k a year into a pension or other investment tool for 4 years does for a 20 year. He'll end up with £1.4 million at 55 !!!!

We can't compete and if it were my kid i'd do the same thing.

You can see the financial temptation, but it’s a high risk move. So many kids move to elite academies, get lost in the system, and lose their motivation when the pathway to the first team vanishes.

Compare that to Lawlor, who stayed in a supportive environment, earned proper men's minutes, and built real momentum. If you back yourself to break into senior football early at Cardiff, you aren't waiting until age 55 for a payout; Lawlor could easily be earning a million a year in the not too distant future.