Maldini Kachurri

Maldini Kachurri's first senior appearance for Arsenal came in the Carabao Cup, when he replaced Riccardo Calafiori in a tie against Bolton Wanderers on 26 September 2024, following a July contract that made him a professional.

He had come to Arsenal's academy as a free agent in the summer of 2022, after his early years at Fulham. He went through the club's youth teams, making 31 appearances for the under-18s and 10 for the under-21s. Born in London, he holds English and Albanian nationality and is eligible for Albania through his heritage.

The step into regular men's football came through loans. At Bromley in League Two, which began in February 2025, he played three times. He started against Salford City but did not complete a full 90 minutes in any of his games, and the loan ended early when he returned to Arsenal in the spring.

Morecambe in the National League offered more. He joined in September 2025 and played 18 games, scoring once and setting up one goal. The club named him its Player of the Month for both October and November.

The Morecambe loan ended in January 2026. On 30 January he left Arsenal for good and signed for Grimsby Town, moving from the club where he had spent almost four years. A loan to the Turkish side Başakşehir had been reported the previous July, but it never happened.