Arsenal wonderkid gets first-team training call-up as reputation grows

Wonderkid goalkeeper Phoenix Blayney, who is set to join Premier League champions Arsenal next season, has trained with the Northern Ireland senior team ahead of their Nations League fixture against Georgia.

Arsenal announced during the summer an agreement to include the 15-year-old from Northern Irish side Larne as part of their 2027/28 scholar intake, with the talented shot-stopper also signing a pre-contract agreement to sign professional terms with the north London outfit.

Blayney is regarded as one of the most talented players to come through Northern Ireland’s JD National Academy, which is designed for 24 elite young players at under-15 and -16 level, and his development has now caught the eye of senior manager Michael O’Neill.

O’Neil, who has been Northern Ireland boss for 11 years across two separate spells, has been keen to focus on youth development in recent years and has identified Blayney and 15-year-old striker Michael Mulholland as having a bright future.

The pair trained with the first team on Sunday in acknowledgement of their progress and were presented with signed Northern Ireland shirts to mark the occassion.

Northern Ireland have made an unbeaten start to their Nations League campaign, beating Georgia and Ukraine away from home and drawing 0-0 with Hungary at Windsor Park.

They currently sit top of group B2 on seven points and have yet to concede a goal in three games. Were they to keep Georgia at bay on Monday night, it would be the side's longest run of clean sheets in nine years.