Kelechi Nwakali wants to emulate Nwankwo Kanu by wearing Arsenal No.25 shirt.

Kelechi Nwakali expects to sign for Arsenal in the weeks ahead, and the Nigerian youngster has already picked the number he wants to wear at the Emirates.

Arsenal have targeted Nwakali, along with fellow youth international Samuel Chukwueze, for several months and, though they face issues over securing work permits for the two teenagers, Arsene Wenger confirmed today that he expects both players to agree contracts at the club.

Both Nwakali and Chukwueze were stars of the Under-17 World Cup-winning Nigeria side, with 17-year-old attacking midfielder Nwakali earning the player of the tournament award.

Neither are expected to become immediate members of the first-team even if they sign in January, however Nwakali has no doubt he will be a part of Wenger's plans in the future.

"I am going to Arsenal to work and try to be the best I can," he told the Nigerian Tribune. "With God anything is possible, to work hard to justify my claim for first team football."

Nwakali would not be the first Nigerian to appear in an Arsenal shirt and the youngster said he has already asked to wear the currently-vacant No.25 shirt of club legend Nwankwo Kanu.

The 39-year-old, a member of the great young Nigerian side that won gold at the 1996 Olympics, played under Wenger between 1999 and 2004.

A member of the Invincibles side Kanu scored 44 goals in 197 games for Arsenal, earning his place in the list of the 50 Greatest Gunners in 2008.

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His dreams turning into reality and that's what we call Fulfillment of purpose. All da best man