Arsenal’s campaign this term has put immense pressure on our manager as well as the club as a whole, and that could force us to alter our philosophy on promoting youth somewhat.
Fans are crying out for change, with Arsene Wenger taking the majority of the flack from supporters, and according to recent reports, Stan Kroenke has rejected the urge to part ways with the Frenchman, and instead is asking for him to sign a new deal.
Kroenke has supposedly told Wenger that he is to rehaul the current squad as his main objective in signing a new two-year contract, and with Arsenal on course to miss out qualification for the Champions League for the first time in 21 years.
This will likely force our club to push their financial restraints further than they have in recent years, with our board and manager seemingly content with their top-four position, and that could well hamper our youth members.
It is particularly difficult for strikers to break through the ranks into the first-team at the bigger clubs at present, with most sides opting to play only one striker in the starting XI, and Arsenal is no different on that front.
We have had Chuba Akpom and Benik Afobe both highly rated in recent terms, and neither have managed to make an impact on the first-team, and the latest youngsters to thoroughly impress in our youth side is Eddie Nketiah.
The 17 year-old added to his profile with an international hat-trick for England’s Under-18 side against Denmark yesterday in their 4-0 win, having already notched up 19 goals in his 18 outings for our youth sides.
Nketiah could well prove to be the latest striker who has to move away from the Emirates to make his mark, although Chuba Akpom is yet to leave the club on a permanent deal as of yet.
Will our club be forced to splash out on a big-named striker this summer, most likely ending all hope of progressing a striker into the first-team in the near future?
Pat J