Arsenal 20yo finds new club after rejecting contract
· Yahoo Sports
The highly rated Colombia youth international departed after eight years in north London, having spent much of last season around Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad.
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Alexei Rojas has found a new club after rejecting Arsenal’s offer of a new contract, with the goalkeeper completing a move to Penafiel following his departure from north London.
The 20-year-old joins the Portuguese side after eight years with Arsenal, arriving as the club’s replacement for Manuel Balde, who has joined Trofense on a free transfer.
The Colombia youth international will compete alongside Miguel Oliveira and Joan Femenias in Penafiel’s goalkeeping group next season.
Back in June, the Premier League confirmed that Arsenal had offered Rojas fresh terms before his contract expired. The goalkeeper turned down that offer, choosing instead to leave as a free agent.
Photo via Rojas on Instagram
“I am incredibly pleased to have spent 8 years at Arsenal Football Club,” Rojas wrote on Instagram.
“Progressing through from the academy to the first team. Every step of the journey has taught me about what it takes to perform as an elite athlete, on and off the pitch.
“It has been a true privilege to work with so many elite people across the years. I extend my gratitude to all of the coaching staff, performance & medical teams, chefs, ground staff, security team, and everybody involved with Arsenal.
“This club has helped shape me as a player, and as a person. I will always be grateful for the opportunities, lessons, and memories that I’ve gained here.
“And to the Arsenal fans, thank you for your unwavering support, passion, and love for the club. Wearing this badge has been a privilege, and hearing your encouragement every step of the way is something I’ll never forget.
“I have decided to take the best step for my career and begin a new stage in my professional journey, with new challenges ahead of me. Great things are achieved by taking bold risks. This club will forever be in my heart.
“Once a Gunner, always a Gunner. Thank you, Arsenal ❤️”
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Rojas spent much of the 2025/26 campaign working with Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad, frequently serving as a training goalkeeper rather than playing regular academy football.
He made as many appearances with Arsenal’s senior squad as he did for the under-21s during the season, earning a place on the bench for the Champions League fixture against Slavia Praha and featuring for the under-21s in an EFL Trophy match against Cardiff City.
Part of that limited academy involvement came because Rojas was away with Colombia at the Under-20 World Cup throughout October. Even so, Arsenal regularly preferred to use him in first-team training rather than academy fixtures.
Across his time at the club, Rojas made 21 appearances for Arsenal’s under-18, under-19 and under-21 sides before choosing to begin the next stage of his career in Portugal.
Penafiel plays in Liga Portugal 2.
Photo via Arsenal.com