Tommy Setford: Form, strengths and weaknesses ahead of Arsenal transfer

After triggering their £27m option to make David Raya's Brentford loan permanent and also adding Danish youngster Lucas Nygaard to their ranks, Arsenal are said to have agreed an £859k deal to bring Setford to the club.

The 18-year-old will sign on until the summer of 2028 as a direct replacement for the departed Arthur Okonkwo, and there is every chance that he could eventually succeed current number two Aaron Ramsdale in the not-so-distant future.

Here, Sports Mole provides an in-depth lowdown on everything you need to know about Setford, including his career so far, strengths and weaknesses.

Tommy Setford background

Born in the Dutch city of Haarlem to an English father, Setford joined Ajax's academy ranks as an Under-8s player alongside his older brother, Charlie Setford, who also plays as a goalkeeper for the Amsterdam giants, and he signed his first professional contract in 2022 at the age of 16.

The older Setford brother - who has already made the bench for the Ajax first team - is coincidentally blocking his teenage sibling's path to the Under-21s, as the Arsenal-bound Setford is yet to make his debut for either that team or the seniors.

However, the 2006-born shot-stopper - who was only a few months old when Arsenal moved from Highbury to the Emirates - has risen through the youth system to become an Under-18s regular, playing 33 matches and keeping 14 clean sheets.

Setford has also experienced a taste of European football in the UEFA Youth League, featuring three times in the 2022-23 tournament against Liverpool, MK Budapest and Sporting Lisbon, although he conceded four times to the former and five against the latter.

Setford's development was hampered by a wrist fracture that season, though, and he kept six clean sheets in 15 appearances across all competitions in the 2023-24 campaign, also making the bench for the Under-21s in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, the Dutch second division.

While similarities will naturally be made between Setford and his brother, as both play as goalkeepers for the Ajax youth team, the 18-year-old said in an interview with his club's website that they could not be more different, claiming that he relies on "intuition" while his sibling is more "calculated".

Tommy Setford strengths and weaknesses

Setford is not the most physically intimidating goalkeeper at 6ft 1in tall, which may leave him vulnerable to being bullied at set-pieces, although he is actually slightly taller than current Arsenal number one Raya, whose ability to catch crosses is unparalleled.

A right-footed goalkeeper, Setford does not always appear totally comfortable when venturing out of his box to meet a long ball over the top, sometimes preferring to clear the ball up the field first time rather than taking a touch and trying to pick out a teammate when the pass might be on.

However, when Setford has time and space to ping a long ball forward, his distribution is excellent, making it easy to see why Arteta - who brutally dropped Ramsdale in favour of Raya and his superior footwork - wants him at the Emirates.

In terms of shot-stopping - a goalkeeper's bread and butter - Setford spreads himself well to shut down attackers at close range, while also displaying exceptional agility, strong anticipation and good handling skills. He is often decisive when coming out to meet deliveries into the penalty area too.

Tommy Setford's international experience

Having been born in the Netherlands to an English father, Setford is eligible to represent both England and Oranje at senior international level, but he has elected to represent the former's youth teams over the past few years.

The 18-year-old has been approached to represent the Dutch academy teams, but he has explained that he sees no reason to switch allegiances, as the England coaches 'appreciate' his skills and see "a lot of potential" in his game.

Following a very brief stint in the Under-16s setup, Setford burst onto the international scene with the Under-17s, featuring in the age-group European Championships and World Cup in 2023.

Setford helped England reach the quarter-finals of the Under-17 Euros, where the Young Lions finished in fifth place thanks to a deciding win over Switzerland, and he held his spot for the World Cup in Indonesia later in the year.

While Setford was able to reflect on a positive individual campaign, England fell at the first knockout hurdle, losing 2-1 to Uzbekistan in their last-16 showdown, which proved to be the teenager's final match for the Under-17s.

The Arsenal-bound youngster has since earned caps for the Under-18s and Under-19s, while being called up to the Under-20s for the first time in June, making the bench for friendlies with Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.