Former Linfield teenager 'just trying to get better' after signing first professional contract at Premier League giants Arsenal

Northern Ireland youth international O’Neill joined the Gunners last summer on the back of making his senior Blues debut and has racked up 16 U18 Premier League appearances this term, scoring five times and providing two assists.

The 17-year-old has already experienced training with Arsenal’s star-studded first team squad under the watchful eye of Mikel Arteta and his rapid progression has now been rewarded with a maiden professional deal.

“I'm delighted to be signing my first professional contract,” O’Neill told . “I knew it was going to be a bit of a challenge moving over, but I think I settled in well.

“My first game we played West Ham away and I scored two, so it was a good start to the season.

"I think a winger needs to be able to score goals, so it's something that I'm working on, just trying to get better at in the future.”

O’Neill departed Windsor Park alongside Braiden Graham and Aodhan Doherty, who joined Everton and Blackburn Rovers respectively, sealing a dream move to Arsenal – the club his father supported and Ceadach grew up watching at home in Northern Ireland.

“Growing up, my dad supported Arsenal, so I grew up supporting Arsenal and I really liked watching Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil growing up because they were unreal players and I really loved watching them,” he added. “It's always a surreal moment just being able to be in the same pitch with the first teamers, so yeah, I really enjoy growing up with them and learning from them.

“The rest of this season, I just want to finish it off strong, just keep trying to score goals and get assists and carry on into next season.”

O’Neill is the latest Irish League success story after former team-mate Graham signed his first professional contract at Everton earlier this season while George Feeney achieved the same feat at Tottenham Hotspur after joining from Glentoran.