Arsenal's promising defender Martin Angha has signed a pre-contract agreement with Nuremberg, the club have confirmed.

Angha was influential in the Gunners' run to the Nextgen semi-final, while the Swiss youngster has played sporadically for the club's Under-21 side as well as making two senior appearances in the League Cup and the Champions League.

The rampaging full-back has been among the most impressive performers in an Arsenal academy with an outstanding reputation for bringing through some of the continent's brightest talents.

Martin Angha
Angha has signed a pre-contract agreement with Nuremberg.

"It was about finding a club where I can constantly win minutes in the first team and develop further," Angha told Swiss news portal 20min.ch. "I am looking forward to the Bundeliga."

"I had a good time in London and thank Arsenal for everything. Now I am looking forward to the challenge in Nurnberg."

"I have to confirm that I will not sign a new contract with Arsenal FC and will join Bundelisga side FC Nuremberg this summer! he later wrote on Twitter. "I want to say a big THANK YOU to Arsenal FC and all the people who supported me during the last 3 years! Im looking forward to join FC Nuremberg! and I will give my best for Arsenal in the last few games! thank you!"

General manager Martin Bader added: "Angha has shown his potential at Arsenal and should make the next step here. We are delighted to have signed an interesting young player like Martin Angha."

The German side are currently mid-table in the Bundesliga but remain in the hunt for a European spot with a nine-match unbeaten run having taken them to within four points of sixth; the final automatic qualification birth for the Europa League.

The Arsenal squad who reached the Nextgen last four, eventually being ousted by eventual runners-up Chelsea, boasts the likes of Chuba Akpom, Serge Gnabry and Hector Bellerin all of whom will be targeting regular first-team action in the coming years, but Angha is the first to jump ship.

"I feel I have improved a lot since coming to Arsenal," the 18 year old, who moved to London Colney from FC Zurich in 2010, said last year.

With Kieran Gibbs, Nacho Monreal and the out on loan Andre Santos already firmly established in the Arsenal first-team, Angha, who will remain in north London until the end of the season, was likely to find regular first team appearances at the Emirates hard to come by.

His debut against Coventry City in the Capital One Cup and a subsequent appearance against Olympiakos in the Champions League group phase suggested his form for the club's youth side had not gone unnoticed but the former Swiss Under-16 skipper has opted to search for regular first-team football elsewhere.