Tottenham have reportedly reach an agreement to sign talented young Scottish striker James Wilson on loan ahead of rivals Arsenal.

According to Fabrizio Romano on X, Spurs now have a deal in place to sign the 18-year-old, with the Italian journalist giving the move his trademark “here we go!” to suggest it’s all but done.

Arsenal had also shown an interest in Wilson today, as per BBC Sport and others, but it now looks like Romano is convinced he’ll be off to Tottenham instead.

EVERY January 2026 transfer window done deal!

Fabrizio Romano on James Wilson to Tottenham transfer

See below for Romano’s X post about Wilson to Spurs…

??? James Wilson to Tottenham, here we go! Deal in place for Scottish 18 year old striker to join #THFC project.

Arsenal were offering a trial while Spurs offer loan deal with buy option clause now agreed with Hearts.

Medical happening now with formal steps next. pic.twitter.com/9BpSGuwDne

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 2, 2026

“James Wilson to Tottenham, here we go! Deal in place for Scottish 18 year old striker to join #THFC project. Arsenal were offering a trial while Spurs offer loan deal with buy option clause now agreed with Hearts. Medical happening now with formal steps next,” Romano said.

It seems Spurs’ offer was key here, with Wilson surely looking like he was better off choosing them for his career development.

Arsenal’s offer was more of a trial, whereas there seems to be a bit more security with his loan to Tottenham.

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Even if Wilson isn’t the biggest name right now, THFC fans will hope he can prove to be a smart signing for the future.

The fact that Arsenal were also interested surely shows that Wilson is a big prospect who’s well worth taking a close look at.

The post “Deal in place” – Fabrizio Romano confirms “here we go” for Spurs to hijack Arsenal transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Tottenham are reportedly working on a deal for talented young Hearts striker James Wilson, who is also a Deadline Day target for rivals Arsenal.

The two north London sides look to be going head to head for Wilson’s signature in what is likely to be a loan move for their Under-21 teams.

See below for Sky Sports News’ latest update on the Wilson saga, with Spurs joining the race with Arsenal to try to get this deal done late on in this window, with the deadline now just hours away…

Spurs have entered the race to sign James Wilson from Hearts.

North London rivals Arsenal have been holding talks with Hearts over an initial loan deal for the striker ? pic.twitter.com/Fal1NFcpdQ

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 2, 2026

Wilson is not the biggest name, so some fans might be disappointed if this ends up being the full extent of their club’s business today.

Still, the 18-year-old has already played regularly for Hearts and at senior international level with Scotland, so he could be someone with a very bright future in the game.

James Wilson transfer: Where will the Arsenal and Tottenham target end up?

We should know before too long if Wilson ends up leaning towards Arsenal or Tottenham.

As per BBC Sport‘s information as well, the young forward is not considered a first-team signing, so even if the deal goes through it could be a while before his new fans get to see him play.

Wilson may well be tempted by Arsenal as they’re the bigger name and clearly heading in a more positive direction at the moment.

The Gunners also have a famously strong academy, so that could factor into his thinking.

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At the same time, however, Tottenham might be able to offer him a more realistic pathway to regular first-team football.

There’d be less competition at Spurs, so that might mean Wilson could realistically get some playing time at senior level in the near future.

The post Talks held: Tottenham launch surprise move to hijack Arsenal transfer deal on Deadline Day appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal have begun exploratory discussions with Heart of Midlothian over a potential move for highly rated teenage attacker James Wilson, as the club continue to strengthen their pipeline of elite young talent.

The development is revealed by respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, who reports that an initial loan-based structure is currently being discussed between the two clubs.

At just 18 years old, Wilson has already achieved a milestone few players reach so early in their careers, having earned senior international caps for the Scotland national football team.

That rapid rise has put him firmly on the radar of clubs beyond Scotland, with Arsenal now positioning themselves to secure closer access to his development.

The reason why James Wilson appeals to Arsenal

Wilson’s versatility is a major factor behind Arsenal’s interest. Comfortable operating both as a central striker and on the right wing, he offers tactical flexibility Mikel Arteta wants.

The Gunners value forwards who can interchange positions, press intelligently, and contribute in multiple phases of play, qualities Wilson has already shown flashes of despite limited senior exposure.

This season, the teenager has scored two goals in ten appearances for Hearts. While those numbers may appear modest on the surface, Arsenal’s recruitment team are understood to be looking beyond raw statistics.

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International pedigree and tournament impact

Wilson’s reputation was significantly enhanced during last year’s UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifying campaign, where he emerged as one of Scotland’s best performers.

The forward scored four goals in six appearances, catching the attention of scouts across Europe with his sharp finishing and confidence on the international stage.

That tournament run is widely viewed as a key reason Arsenal accelerated their interest.

From Hearts’ perspective, the preference for a loan-based arrangement reflects a desire to protect Wilson’s long-term development.

The Scottish club are keen to ensure he continues to receive meaningful minutes while benefiting from exposure to a higher-level training environment.

Arsenal, meanwhile, see a loan as a low-risk pathway to monitor his progress closely before committing to any permanent move.

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The post Romano confirms Arsenal involved in club to club negotiations to sign striker appeared first on CaughtOffside.