Arsenal To "Do a Chelsea" with Young Scottish Duo on Radar

Arsenal to Sign Scottish Stars with Future in Mind

It is well known that Chelsea are the serial buyers of young, up-and-coming talent in the modern transfer market, to the extent that their squad now seems oversaturated with young talent, creating issues around game time and development amongst their ranks.

However, buying young players is a vital part of the game, and London rivals Arsenal now seem set to follow their lead, as, according to Robert Grieve, they are lining up a double swoop for St. Mirren teenager Evan Mooney and Hearts starlet James Wilson.

Who Are Evan Mooney and James Wilson?

Mooney and Wilson, both 18, have both been tipped for big futures outside of the Scottish football scene. Wilson comes highly rated, having already been capped for the Scottish national side, while Mooney has earned plenty of plaudits for his cameos off the bench for St. Mirren this season.

The move for Mooney looks set to be an initial loan deal for their U21 squad, effectively posing as a trial for a player who could then be purchased for a cheap fee in the summer, while Wilson looks more likely to land a permanent move to the Gunners, despite starting just one game for Hearts this season.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Hearts forward James Wilson and Evan Mooney of St Mirren have been linked with moves to Arsenal. #DeadlineDay | #WHPREM pic.twitter.com/sf3f1eZobc

— SNS Group (@snsgroup) February 2, 2026

In spite of his lack of starts, Wilson still has two goals in 10 games for Hearts, a respectable return for one who rarely receives significant minutes, and with his young age affording him plenty of leeway to develop close to his ceiling, the move seems a no-brainer.

Low-risk, high-reward is exactly where Mikel Arteta thrives, and the Emirates has proven itself to be the destination for young players to reach the top of their game. If all goes to plan, both Scotland and Arsenal could have a remarkable talent on their hands.

The double swoop follows an identical move from Chelsea last week, which saw the Blues land two Scottish 15-year-olds, Ashton Scally and Fraser Boyd. Though both Wilson and Mooney are far senior to their compatriots, their move to Arsenal is also more than likely a move with future development considered over immediate impact.