Arsenal youngster Chris Willock is on the verge of completing a move to Benfica, according to a reliable journalist.
Goal correspondent Chris Wheatley claimed on his personal Twitter account on Friday evening that the 19-year-old has agreed to join the Portuguese outfit on a five-year-deal.
Chris Willock has signed a five-year deal with Benfica after rejecting a contract extension at Arsenal. Announcement expected shortly. pic.twitter.com/7fa1kSo2cu
— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley) June 30, 2017
The highly-rated teenage forward was handed two first-team appearances for the Premier League club during the 2016-17 season, as a reward for his impressive displays for the reserve side.
Willock scored three goals and supplied eight assists from 19 appearances for the Arsenal Under-23 side last term, but faced an uncertain future this summer with his contract set to expire.
Arsene Wenger had been keen to see the youngster commit his long-term future to the Emirates, but Wheatley has revealed that Willock had chosen to rejected their offer of a fresh contract.
It had been revealed that the Gunners had made an offer when the club’s retained list was published by the Premier League on their official website earlier this month.
But he is instead set to seal a move to Benfica, with official confirmation of a deal “expected shortly.”
The England Under-19 international had joined the Arsenal academy at the age of just five-years-old, but his 14-year affiliation with the London club is imminently set to come to an abrupt end.