When Mikel Arteta was an Arsenal player under Arsene Wenger, Le Prof was famous for promoting youngsters from the Academy up to the first team, not always successfully I might add.
But Wenger was always trying to create an English Core, which he felt was neccessary to show our foreign imports what it meant to play for a great club like Arsenal, and it seems that Arteta feels exactly the same way about our youngsters and wants more to come through to join the likes Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe.
The Spaniard told SkySports: “I think we have players where generally you can see the feeling they have towards the club,”
“Obviously, having academy players in the team is something extremely important because you know there is something else there apart from, ‘I like to play football, I like to represent a professional football club and earn money here’.
“I think those players are attached to our DNA, to our values. They have been raised here and they appreciate the fact they have been with us for a long, long time.
“That’s something I think the fans sense.
“And, with the other players, they just see that they are giving 100 per cent to the club, and when that is the case, I think they have no option.” Arteta grins. “They have to support these guys.”
We can only agree that having Saka and Smith-Rowe from the Academy is a great boost for the fans as well as the team, and we are still very hopeful on seeing Balogun next season, also Azeez, Hutchinson, Patino and Karl Hein have spent some time training with the first team recently, and many others in various stages of development.
Wouldn’t it be great if they all became first-teamers?
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The real reason behind this idea of promoting youngster is business.
Look, now Saka (65 mil) & ESR (38 mil) valued by transfermarkt. They came to arsenal academy for less than 10 mil and they valued skyrocketed. Thats the idea for saving money dan earn money (IF arsenal do sell their youngster) at the same time.
If promotion is successful and the youngster make immediate impact the perfect! like Saka & ESR
If it fails / not good enough, it may cost the first team. like Nketiah, Nelson, Etc
The way to overcome this is by loaning every single youngster preferably to premier league club to earn experience and grow, then bring them back to first team when they are ready.
Some core values should be inculcated when youngsters are recruited into the academy so they know what it takes to be part of this club.
Who noticed what chambers did in the build up to villa’s second goal yesterday?
They can add depth and be 4th choice options for positions. Hopefully progress to a backup role or as subs, and the best ones can develop into starting players.
It’s good business and helps to sell our academy to young players. They see how they are promoted and given a chance to work their way into the squad.