Joel Lopez joins Arsenal from Barcelona: Will 16-year-old be more Cesc Fabregas or Jon Toral?

Joel Lopez, a 16-year-old left-back, has reportedly left Barcelona to join Arsenal. He will arrive in north London initially as a scholar but will sign professional terms in March when he turns 17.

When a young player is signed from Barcelona it's tempting for fans to let their minds wander and think if not Lionel Messi then perhaps this latest youngster can be the new Cesc Fabregas. Or maybe Hector Bellerin, who joined Arsenal from Barca as a 16-year-old and became a first-team regular.

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Arsenal though have also poached players like Fran Merida and Jon Toral from the Barcelona youth set-up, neither of whom achieved a great deal at the Emirates.

Which category then will Lopez fall into? The noises from Spain are very positive if not at Fabregas-levels of excitement. Barcelona were certainly frustrated to see Lopez turn down their contract offer, but in Marc Cucurella and Juan Miranda they have two young left-backs further along in their development.

For Arsenal, the first thing that struck the club's scouts was Lopez's physicality. For a boy of 16 he is well-built and pushing 6ft, towering over some of his team-mates in Barca's Cadet A (under-16) team. He also has a great engine and pounds up and down the left flank in a manner reminiscent of Arsenal's greatest modern left-back Ashley Cole.

Like Cole - and indeed any good Arsenal full-back - Lopez is effective at joining up with attacks, regularly providing assists for the Cadet A team last season.

The way Lopez plays - expansive and neat and tidy in possession - reflects the fact he has been at Barcelona all his career, first joining the Benjamin B (under-10) side as a nine year old. He has worked his way up through the age groups since, and stood out last season for his maturity and calmness on the ball.

Lopez's performances attracted interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, but it was the former who pushed through the transfer. An excited Lopez appeared to confirm the transfer yesterday by describing himself as an Arsenal player on Instagram, before hastily removing the post.

The Arsenal switch is expected to be confirmed in the coming days, after Lopez confirmed earlier this month that he would be leaving Barcelona. "It will be the club that I always carry in my heart for all the wonderful moments that I have lived," he wrote on Instagram.

"It was a difficult decision but after contemplating it with my family I made the decision to go and start a new stage as a footballer with great enthusiasm."

When Lopez does sign he will join up with the under-18 team and likely replace Dominic Thompson, who has been promoted to the under-23 squad.

Lopez will be able to feature in the FA Youth Cup and possibly the Checkatrade Trophy, after Arsenal confirmed yesterday they would be entering an under-21 side in the competition for the first time.

Looking further ahead, Lopez will hope to get game time in the Carabao Cup after an encouraging few years for Arsenal's academy graduates. Last season alone, 10 Hale End alumni featured for Arsenal in the competition.

Lopez's development will be overseen by Per Mertesacker, who took over as Arsenal's academy manager this summer.

Mertesacker played an important role in helping Bellerin learn the basics of defending; Lopez will hope he can do something similar with him.