Arsenal midfielder Savvas Mourgos rewarded for impressive youth form with first professional contract

Arsenal have added to their professional ranks by awarding a first senior contract to Savvas Mourgos. The promising Greek midfielder has put pen to paper at the Emirates Stadium after impressing at the club's academy team managed by former Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) youth coach Frans de Kat.

In a statement released via their official website, the Gunners confirmed: "Academy midfielder Savvas Mourgos has signed his first professional contract with the club. The Greek 18 year old has been a regular for Arsenal Under-18s since his arrival at the club last season. This term he has featured in 18 league games for Frans de Kat's side, scoring twice.

"He has also represented the Gunners at under-19 and under-21 level on a number of occasions in 2015/16, impressing with his confidence on the ball and surging forward runs. Everyone at Arsenal would like to congratulate Savvas on his contract and looks forward to his continued development with the club."

Arsenal's U-18 side finished sixth in the Premier League's south division this term and have failed to win any of their three Group 2 play-off stage matches to date following a 3-3 draw with Aston Villa and consecutive defeats to West Brom and Middlesbrough. They were recently denied a place in a first FA Youth Cup showpiece since 2009 courtesy of an aggregate defeat to last year's beaten finalists Manchester City, following a narrow first-leg loss with a 2-2 draw in north London on Monday (4 April).

Chris Willock and Donyell Malen both scored for the hosts, who trailed until just after the hour mark following efforts from Brahim Diaz and Rodney Kongolo. Any lingering hope of a possible late comeback was essentially scuppered in the 75th minute when Marc Bola was dismissed for an ill-advised two-footed challenge on the Dutch youth international.

City will face another clash against Chelsea or Blackburn Rovers next, with the second leg between those two teams to come at Stamford Bridge tomorrow (8 April). The holders, who have won the competition in three of the past four years and six times overall, boast a 1-0 lead courtesy of Fikayo Tomori's goal at Ewood Park and remain on course to reach their fifth consecutive final.