Never-before-seen defender spotted in Arsenal U23s training, club hasn’t confirmed his signing yet

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Omar Rekik, a player Arsenal are reportedly close to signing, has been pictured in training with the Gunners Under-23s this week.

According to Metro, Arsenal agreed a fee worth around £900,000 with Hertha Berlin on deadline day of the summer-autumn transfer window as part of the talks that saw Matteo Guendouzi go the other way on loan.

However, Arsenal reportedly ran out of time to rubberstamp the deal and have had to wait until January to complete the final paperwork, with the fee now believed to have been negotiated down to £542,000.

In mid-December, Rekik shared an Instagram story of his arrival in London, suggesting he was on the verge of completing his move to Hale End.

It appears Rekik may have been taking part in training with Arsenal’s development squad since then, with the 18-year-old pictured in the background of an image of the Under-23s training on Wednesday.

The Tunisia Under-21 international hasn’t featured for Hertha’s senior side, but he did make the matchday squad on three occasions this year.

Rekik was promoted from Hertha’s Under-19s to the B team last summer, and he has made eight appearances for them so far, registering one goal and one assist too.