Arsenal have failed with an opening offer to sign teenage sensation Deniz Eren Donmezer from Adana Demirspor, the club’s former vice-president has confirmed. Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have risen from Arsenal’s academy to establish themselves as genuine first-team stars this season and the Gunners are working to transform Hale End into an even greater breeding ground for young talent going forward.

Mikel Arteta has shown a willingness to trust the next generation throughout his reign at the Emirates and the north London giants have embarked on an aggressive recruitment drive at youth level in recent months. It should, then, comes as no surprise that 16-year-old goalkeeper Donmezer finds himself firmly on Arsenal’s radar after his astonishing breakthrough in the Turkish Super Lig with Adana Demirspor over the last year.

Remarkably, Donmezer was handed his first-team debut in a 2-1 defeat to Alanyaspor at the age of just 15 last May and the youngster has gone on to make a further 11 top-flight appearances for his boyhood team this season. According to Metin Korkmaz, Adana Demirspor’s vice-president up until last summer, it is likely the promising shot-stopper could soon be set for bigger and better things, with Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Arsenal battling it out for his services.

‘Our goalkeeper Deniz Eren Donmezer is only 16 years old and plays as a free agent in the Super Lig and he is performing very exceptionally,’ Korkmaz told Turkish publication Radyospor. ‘All the big clubs in the Super Lig are interested in his transfer. We spoke with Galatasaray about Deniz. ‘They are interested in this transfer, they have a priority in the transfer. ‘Arsenal sent an official offer of €3million (£2.5m). This offer would see Arsenal pay the money, but Deniz will play for us on loan for a year and a half. Then he would join Arsenal.’.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video. Up Next. Korkmaz revealed that Adana Demirspor had turned down Arsenal’s initial offer for Donmezer, as well as a bid from Super Lig giants Fenerbahce. ‘Fenerbahce offered €3m for Maestro [Adana Demirspor midfielder] and Deniz,’ he added. ‘Unfortunately, we had to reject the offer of both clubs. We will never let Deniz leave for the figures talked about here.’.

It remains to be seen if Arsenal or Fenerbahce will return with follow-up offers for Donmezer. The Turkey Under-16 international, who stands at 6 ft 3 in, is out of contract with Adana Demirspor in June 2026. Last August, Jose Mourinho gave special mention to Donmezer and applauded Adana Demirspor’s staff for having the ‘courage’ to field the goalkeeper in such a high-pressure match against Fenerbahce.

‘I congratulate my colleague [Adana Demirspor’s then manager Michael Valkanis],’ the Fenerbahce head coach told reporters after his side’s 1-0 win over Adana Demirspor. ‘It takes courage to play a 15-year-old goalkeeper. He has that courage. ‘I also congratulate the young player himself. He played his first match in Kadikoy and there was pressure for the entire 90 minutes.’. For more stories like this, check our sport page.