For two consecutive transfer windows, Arsenal have seen key academy talents depart for Manchester United. The Gunners lost Chido Obi-Martin to the Red Devils in the summer, and Ayden Heaven followed suit last month, joining the same club. It is a concerning trend for Arsenal, particularly as United have struggled in the league, at times hovering closer to the relegation zone than the title race. Losing young prospects to a team in such turmoil is undoubtedly frustrating for the Gunners.
However, it is not difficult to understand why these youngsters have chosen to leave. Arsenal must now take action to prevent further exits, and the simplest solution is to place more trust in their academy products by giving them opportunities in the senior squad. If Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly had not been given chances in the first team, they too might have considered a move away from the club.
The next prospect who could be targeted by other clubs is Max Dowman, who is already showing signs of being a generational talent. The 15-year-old regularly trains with the first team, and according to the Daily Mail, he is set to make his debut for Arsenal soon as the club look to secure his long-term future. The Gunners are keen to ensure they do not lose another promising youngster and will continue to provide chances to academy graduates who prove they are ready.
Ultimately, keeping hold of top young talents is straightforward—giving them a clear pathway to the first team. If Arsenal continue to integrate their brightest prospects into senior football, they will be far more likely to remain at the club rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere. The solution is simple: trust in youth, and they will repay that faith by staying and developing within the club.
ADMIN COMMENT
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Arsenal are shy of using their home grown talent. They don’t value what they have. Rather they value talent from other clubs and they loose the best they have. Other clubs poach theirs. Loosing Chido was too bad. If they charge now, it will be better for them
Were two players who scored against Man City not home grown talent ?
Our best player is a home grown talent
You just can’t play them in the first team for the sake of it.
The 2 who have gone to Man Utd probably won’t get 1st team action.
Certainly no more than they would have done with us.
Why they moved
MONEY 🪙🤑💰🫰
Your comment is not correct please.
Our manager has been mismanging the young guns. If you were a young gunner and you see how Nketia, Joe Willock, Smith Rowe, Nelson and Emi Martinez were managed you will jump ship if a club as big as arsenal comes calling. Not only will you do so, it is actually the right call for your career. Arteta does not trust young players. He wanted Saliba to mature first even though Mustafi was making mistakes game after game.
In the past we have had, Fabregas, Clichy, Wilshere, Walcot, Gibs, Holding playing big Matches at a very young age. It is a flaw the manager must consciously work on.
Please stop defending the manager no matter what, that is not loyalty. Loyalty and love is not cheering someone while they hurt themselves. Love makes you chasten them to make the right call.
You can claim he is giving Nwanneri a chance, but he is just only seeing what we have all seen earlier. The same can be said of Saliba.
He plays players out of position when he would have tried young guns who are natural to those positions.
There was a game he played Timber at centre back and played Partey at right back. Games like that you can play Heaven at center back and Timber at right back for example. Sometimes opportunity come for such things he doesn’t do it. There was an interview where Kiwior said he expected that if we were leading games by 3 goals he will give him a run out. That was before he started giving him a chance. It took Trossard scoring from substitute for a prolonged time before he was forced to make a change.
Kai needs to be dropped, starting him without form is not doing him any good instead it increases pressure. I don’t think Trossard will do worse than Kai is doing right now. Drop Kai and watch him, come good when he doesn’t feel the pressure that he has to win us games each time he plays.
The manager is learning on the job, he keeps improving. It doesn’t hurt to acknowledge the truth. He is still a Rookie, this is his first job, stop pretending he can not be wrong.
Go look how many games Nketiah , Nelson and Smith Rowe had
Proved they were not good enough
Smith Rowe was good enough, Also we got handsome money for Nketiah, Smith Rowe also could have got decent money if sold Nelson. these we got because the managers before Arteta was given these players chances and Arsenal got some money out of them. How much we got in Arteta era for Chido- Martin, Hutchinson, Ayden Heaven, Bira etc. The point is Instead of buying players like Cedric, Marri, Zinzenko give the Academy players chances whenever possible. Atleast their transfer values will increase and by further selling them Arteta can use those fund to buy some required players like CF. Look how Liverpool is managing their talents and winning EPL without investing less than Arteta. Wenger had achieved every year Champions league place and Some FA cup wins with Academy players but Arteta even with 800 M + investment has not won anything. just excuses only.
Dan,
I have to disagree with you regarding Smith Rowe. Arteta has a very short memory where Smith Rowe is concerned. In Arteta’s first season I believe I’m right in saying that Smith Rowe scored 10 goals and had some assists.
Granted he did pick up his share of injury’s, but for quite a long period when he was fit again, he was constantly overlooked in favour of Viera.
So, I think that given the opportunity, he could have come good again.
Having watched Nketia at under 21 level, he was a natural finisher. And to me he was a striker who needed good service to flourish, something that for the most part the team didn’t give him. So, I think that at times he was harshly treated. But I guess opinion is divided on him to be fare.
Now with Nelson, I think it’s a bit more frustrating really, because at times he looked a good player. The strange thing for me was concerning him was that, before last season the club saw fit to give him a new contract.
And it appeared he was the cover for Saka. But clearly Arteta never had the confidence in him, hence he rarely got game time. Which begs the question of why give him a new contract.
And having been sidetracked by your post regarding said three players.
My comment on the academy debate is, while I;
‘m more than happy to see Nwaneri and Skelly progressing to the first team.
I do wonder how much playing time they would have got, had we not had the injury situation that we’ve had.
Because lets be honest, Arteta doesn’t appear to be a manager that takes much notice of the academy.
Certainly not until this season, anyway. And If I’m right, he was forced to look at the academy due to circumstance. 😉👍
Yes even in case of Smith Rowe, Arteta only played him when no player was available for selection (remember Willian) saga. Same case with Saliba and Skelly. Simply instead of trusting Academy Arteta prefers buying crap players