Academy products are leaving Arsenal, and as usual fans are up in arms.

The rise of social media has led to 16-year-olds leaving the club to become a story. Back 30 years ago, we would not have heard of these players names, and then leaving would not have been noteworthy worthy.

Instead, with social media and the strive for content, these players get written about from when they are 14 / 15 and become overhyped household names before they have ever had a sniff of a first team squad.

One player set to leave us is Emerson Nwaneri. He is the younger brother of Ethan. I have to wonder if his impending departure would have become news if it weren’t for his surname.

The reality is, the junior Nwaneri is not as good as his elder brother. And as Ethan is struggling to kick on, it is highly unlikely that Emerson will ever get his chance.

What will probably happen is Ethan will move to Dortmund, or another German outfit. As part of the deal, whichever club signs Ethan will also be required to take Emerson. We saw this at Chelsea over a decade ago where the Hazard family required they take Thorgan alongside Eden.

This is perfectly normal. The Nwaneri’s will probably look to temporary relocate to German (or wherever he ends up) to provide him with support. And where his parents go, Emerson will also go.

When the situation arose a few years back for the Bellingham’s, Jude and Jobe’s mum moved to support Jude’s career, whilst his dad stayed in England to support Jobe’s. If the entire Nwaneri family move to support Ethan, it will show that even they do not think Emerson has the ability to make it at the top level. The will be going all in on the elder brother.

Another leaving us is Kyran Thompson.

The 16-year-old joined us 2-years ago for about £1m. He has decided not to sign professional terms.

Some will feel that losing Thompson is a huge blow to Arsenal. But then you remember Max Dowman.

Like Dowman, Thompson is a right winger who can also play inside. But whilst Dowman is in and around the first team, Thompson is only playing at U18 level, win just a single appearance in the PL2.

The reality is for any Arsenal winger right now is if you are not already playing at Dowman’s level, then there is no obvious route to the first team. We are also heavily linked with Jeremy Monga – the Leicester City winger is considered by many as equally as talented as Dowman. That then locks up the left and right wings. 

We need to ensure we are focusing our energy on the most talented academy products, those most likely to be able to influence the first team. And if other 16-year-old are not at the level of Monga or Dowman, then their departure is understandable.

In the short term, Ethan has become the barometer for players coming through the academy. If you are not showing his talent at the same age, you are unlikely to get a sniff.

Add in Dowman and Monga and the level players aged 16-20 to make our first team squad is clear and obvious.

These players leaving are not doing so because Arsenal have issues being able to show a pathway from Hale End to first team. They are leaving because that pathway is blocked by young players who are simply more talented.

Whenever I think about pathways being blocked, my mind always casts back to Henri Lansbury.

For a few years, we were hyping up this young teenage central midfielder coming through. He looked to have the ability to make it. A potential future captain. And then Jack Wilshre burst on the scene. Younger and performing at a higher level. Overnight, Lansbury was overtaken by Wilshere and his Arsenal career was basically over.

The same is happening with both Nwaneri’s and Thompson due to Dowman and The incoming Mongo.

Keenos