This time last year there was much speculation regarding Yunus Musah’s future as the talented young midfielder was heavily linked with Juventus.
Musah, the standout prospect of Arsenal’s crop of youngsters born during the 2002/03 campaign, instead elected to stay with the Gunners for his final season as a schoolboy.
It proved to be an inspired choice, with Musah gaining much experience at U18 level, which included him featuring in the FA Youth Cup.
Musah was subsequently offered a scholarship deal with Arsenal for next season, which would see him sign professional terms when he turns 17.
However, the youngster has yet to commit his future to the club and there has been renewed uncertainty regarding Musah in recent days after he was heavily linked with Valencia.
Most suited to operating as a deep-lying midfielder, Musah can also play as a number ten, on either flank, or even up front.
Like most Hale End graduates, the 16-year-old is excellent technically, while he is also capable of pushing forwards regularly to excellent effect.
Losing Musah would undoubtedly be a blow for Arsenal given the quality that he possesses, but he couldn’t be begrudged the opportunity to test himself elsewhere.
If Musah does end up departing then Arsenal will be able to console themselves with the fact that they would still have a highly regarded England youth international midfielder in next year’s scholarship intake in the form of Miguel Azeez.
Azeez may not be exactly the same type of player as Musah but he is another individual to watch out for and also featured for the U18s last campaign.
Ideally, though, Arsenal would retain the services of both Musah and Azeez, with the duo seen within the club as having the quality to eventually break into the first-team squad.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Cue a bunch of folk to lose their shit over losing a lad that we’ve never heard of before!
Exciting always to hear about young lads coming though though, keep up the work George.
When I think of all the youth players we’ve poached over the years, we don’t really have a leg to stand on.
Haven’t heard about this kid, though I have Azeez.
Don’t begrudge anyone youth going abroad to further develop their character and experience something new. I think it’s brave.
Wish him the best of luck if he decides to do so.
I.ll beat you to it. No wayweshouldlosethis guy
It’s a shame, but I’m more focused on the likes of Willock, Saka, Nketiah, Ballard etc.
We’ve signed plenty of young players from other clubs’ academies who never made it, it happens.
Always enjoy reading about the youngsters. It’s mad to think how few of them make it through to the first team.
Thanks George. Always read your articles though i don’t always comment.
Jeorge I’d be curious to hear who you think in our academy is most ready to be a back up option in the first team. With all the work we have to do this summer if a couple of a roles can be filled by our youngsters that would be fantastic. Of course Reiss Nelson, but what about Osei-Tutu, Willock, Saka. Do you realistically see any of those 3 making the next step?
We should be more hacked off by looking at who won Bayern Munich’s player of the year.
You mean the guy who refused to sign a new contract with us so he could join a midtable team who happily took him for a season with a clause letting him join the best team in his home nation who are way better than us and have a far more understanding and positive fanbase ?
Nah, he means the talented ball-playing guy who was sent off to the manager with the worst record in PL history for giving youth a chance, who then, on his debut playing well, decided to axe him from the first team to say he’s not PL level, and then when January came around, our previous manager commented that rather than bringing him back from what was clearly an awful loan spell, he should remain and “fight” against Sauron the West Brom manager who would never give him a chance. All the while providing NO communication with him during his loan… Read more »
No I wouldn’t. We can’t be pissed about him leaving because we’ve played a part in his departure as well. We’re constantly moaning when players leave for free but also get upset with those that sign (Ozil, Xhaka, Jenkinson)… Yes the club has been terrible off the field but the fanbase haven’t covered themselves in glory with their behavior towards players and managers
Huge apologies, I just re-read your original comment, and it seems we’re both saying the same thing. Fully agree, our fanbase are the worst. I remember on this site when Gnabry was on loan and not playing, most of the comments were “maybe he’s not that good if he can’t break into West Brom” or worst yet “He looks fat” and many comments about how he’s not showing the heart and fight. And at the time the were was sense of believing the hierarchy of Theo and Ox was fair because of seniority, not meritocracy. Arsenal handled Gnabry all wrong… Read more »
@Chinaman
Fickle fans eh.. You are too brutally honest bro, people will knock you down all your life if you keep this up..
Arsenal fans hate Mustafi and Xhaka more than they hate Totts or John Terry.. some players can get away with murder, others have to answer for every single mistake.. Ramsey, who is seen as the saviour today, use to get treated even worse, even got booed, and that after coming back from a horrible leg break. Eduardo suffered the same, Diaby had the worst of it..
Couldn’t care less about Gnabry. Good luck to him. Their team may be a level above us, but how’s it possible to think “Bayern have a far more understanding and positive fanbase”? I remember their fans baying for coach Niko Kovac’s blood during the first part of last season when Dortmund were flying. Bayern stuck with him and they ended up overtaking Dortmund, but most of those fans still want him gone. It may be hip and trendy for Gooners to dump on our own fans, but maybe stop pretending we’re worse than a fanbase who consider coming 2nd as… Read more »
It feels like we’re getting close to it though. I’m sickened by some of the stuff I see online from so called “fans”.
It would definitely be a shame to lose him. He looks like exactly the kind of player we need in the first team right now, someone who isn’t afraid to take on other players and get the ball moving in the right direction. I saw an interview with him on Youtube and he seems like a really down to earth guy particularly for his age. Ghanaian descent, born in the States and lived in Italy, and based on that the links to Juventus definitely make sense.
I hope he stays.