What does the future hold for Arsenal youngsters?

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Having missed out on the trip to USA, what can Arsenal’s “stars for the future” expect from the upcoming season?

Charlie Patino

The most well known player on this list, 18-year-old Patino made a goal-scoring debut against Sunderland in the League Cup last year.

He then suffered from the social media hype machine with fans then calling for him to start week in week out after his 10-minute cameo. But he was not ready.

That showed in his next appearance for the club – the defeat to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.

Patino looked lightweight and was a boy playing a mans game.

It is important not to criticise him for that performance – the entire team were horrendous. Patino was also playing deeper than usual in a midfield two alongside Albert Sambi-Lokonga. It was a tough game for the young man.

Arsenal did the right thing with him putting him back to the PL2 side to continue his development.

This took him away from the eye of the common fan and allowed him to grow without the hype.

Recent pictures show him having bulked up. He now looks like he has the body of a senior footballer rather than that of a gangly youth-team player.

So what does the season hold for him?

Mikel Arteta seems to want to play with one defensive midfielder and then two “8s” either side. From what I have seen of Patino he now has the physicality and technique to play as an 8.

We currently have Martin Odergaard, Fabio Vieira, Granit Xhaka and Emile Smith Rowe as the front-line options in that area.

There is certainly space for Patino to in that squad – especially if Smith Rowe is required on the wing. But you have to think that if he was going to be in Arteta’s first team plans this season he would be on the plane to the USA.

I would not be surprised if he plays in the Europa League and League Cup fixtures this side of Christmas, and then is loaned out to a Championship side for the 2nd half of the year to get week in, week out game time. Europa League & League Cup followed by half season loan in the Championship.

Karl Hein

Last season Arsenal decided to promote Arthur Okonkwo to the first team squad whilst then 19-year-old Estonian keeper Hein in the academy.

Up to that point it was a toss up between the two with regards to who became our 3rd choice keeper and who would keep nets for the PL2 team.

It is a debate as to which decision meant which player was higher up the pecking order.

Whilst his first-team promotion make Okonkwo 3rd choice on paper, Hein would be playing week in week out which would keep him more prepared to step up if needed.

For the 2nd half of the season Hein was loaned out to Reading who he then made 5 Championship appearances for.

The debate between Hein and Okonkwo has been settled by who is on the plane – Arteta opting for the Englishman.

That would lead me to believe that Okonwko will remain as Arsenal’s 3rd choice keeper this season behind Aaron Ramsdale and Matt Turner.

A season long loan where he plays week in, week out would do wonders for his development.
He would probably have to drop down to a League One level to get that game time. League One Loan.

Miguel Azeez

England Under-20 international had his loan spell at Portsmouth cut short last season.

As Arsenal faced a central midfield crisis, Arteta decided to recall Azeez to bolster his senior squad.

His loan spell with Portsmouth was also not going as expected – just a handful of appearances in the Championship and League Cup.

Azeez turns 20 in September. The next 12 months will be huge for him.

He still needs that loan deal and having struggled in League One I would be surprised if he plays any higher than the Championship.

It is important that wherever he goes he gets week in week out game time. There is no point him joining a Premier League or top end Championship side to just sit on the bench. Loan

PART 2 OUT SOON
Brooke Norton-Cuffy
Matt Smith
Salah-Eddine Oulad ‘m Hand

Keenos

Just one academy star on the plane to the USA

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Everyone have a better night sleep last night?

Yesterday the travelling squad for the US tour was announced. It was very much a “senior” squad with the likes of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale on the plane.

Just one academy player has been picked –Reuell Walters.

The lack of academy players on tour will be a surprise for many. Usually pre-season is a chance to integrate some of the youngsters into the first team.

The likes od Charlie Patino, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Miguel Azeez, Omari Hutchinson, Marcelo Flores and Karl Hein might feel a little bit miffed that they did not get a ticket for the trip. But they should not be too disheartened.

There are 33 players on the plane to Baltimore for friendlies against Everton, Orlando City and Chelsea.

That is already a huge senior squad. There was simply not enough space to also then take another half dozen youngsters.

Those players would see verry little – if any – game time over the next 10 days.

Mikel Arteta would have focused his time on getting his senior players match fit for the new season. And with just one friendly between the America tour and the opening day, he is right to focus on the first team.

In the meantime, lets remember the academy played Hereford last night (winning 3-1). They also have pre-season friendlies against Slough and Bromley coming up.

These might not be glamour ties, but it is important that the academy gets match fit for the PL2 season and respective youth campaigns. They get that by playing games, not by sitting around watching the first team play.

Reuell Walters is an interesting one.

He would have been on very few peoples lips to have a break through season this year – Patino and Norton-Cuffy were my two to keep an eye on.

Just 17, he impressed against Nurnberg last week. He did not look out of place physically and with will travel with the squad as the 6th choice centre back.

The England under-18 international joined us in November 2020 from Tottenham. Since joining the club he has predominantly played at right back in the academy, but the feeling is he will move inside to centre back.

Enjoy your Thursday.

Keenos

Raphinha, Paqueta, Departures and More

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Anyone else hardly get a wink of sleep last night?

The big Arsenal news is surrounding a player that will not be joining us as Raphinha looks set to secure a move to Barcelona.

Barcelona was always his primary choice.

Talks of a deal between the Catalan club and his represents being agreed emerged in February. The only sticking point seemed to be about whether Barcelona could meet Leeds United’s evaluation.

Arsenal then “stepped in” and tried to get a deal done, before being gazumped by Chelsea.

Whether either side were actually close to getting a deal done is unknown.

Was it just media speculation? Deco (Raphinha’s agent) or Leeds leaking stories to the press in the hope of pushing the Barcelona bid up?

Eventually, Barcelona have found the cash needed behind the sofa to satisfy Leeds and get the deal done.

I always found it uncomfortable that we were looking to spend big on a player that would not immediately walk into our first team.

When you break it down, he losses possession more than Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, is the worst passer of the 3 and assists the least.

It is only in goals that he is a leader – but still only equal to Saka. And by the time you take out penalties there is no difference between the 3.

Personally, I am happy with Saka and Martinelli on our wings next season.

We move on…

Speculation continues to circulate that we are interested in Lucas Paqueta.

The Brazilian was signed by Lyon to replace Houssem Aouar when the Frenchman looked to be on his way to Arsenal a couple of years ago. That deal never materialised.

This one feels like Arsenal are being used.

It is almost a carbon copy of our links to Bruno Guimarães.

We were never really in for Guimarães, but our name was used for hype and he eventually moved to Newcastle.

I would not be surprised if the exact same situation occurs over the next week and Paqueta joins his compatriot in the North-East.

The Geordies will celebrate once more, claiming to have beaten Arsenal to a second player (remember their club spent half of his official release video talking about The Arsenal). But the reality is if we wanted him, we would have signed him. Just like we would have signed Guimarães if we desired.

With Fabio Silva joining to play the left hand side of a midfield 3, I just can not see us signing another raw talent to also play there. And like with Raphinha, it will be a huge investment to sign him to play second fiddle to Saka.

Arsenal are heading off to America so I expect any transfers to slow down a little whilst Mikel Arteta will assess his squad.

We still have Bernd Leno, Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson , Hector Bellerin, Pablo Mari, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Lucas Torreira, Nicolas Pepe and Reiss Nelson at the club – a total of 33 members of a senior squad.

You feel ahead of any further arrivals we will have to sell or loan those 8 out.

Martin Odergaard as captain? That is a blog for another day….

Enjoy the day.

Keenos