Arsenal, Arsenal, not so boring Arsenal, have been accused of poaching young talent after moving in for the whizzkid of German football. The Gunners have snapped up Germany's under-15 captain Moritz Volz, who was on the books of Schalke 04, but who will now move to Highbury in the summer. Volz is the third prodigy to be controversially signed by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (left). Notts County youngster Jermaine Pennant and French starlet Jeremie Aliadiere have already been signed up.

Volz will become the first school-age player to be lured abroad and the news has caused outrage in Germany, prompting the German National Youth coach Bernd Stober to condemn the move as an abuse by a professional club. It's wasn't such a big decision for Volz to make, though. He's on £150,000 in his first season, or £3,000 a week. Not bad for a 16-year-old.