Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have attracted the most attention so far out of Arsenal’s latest scholarship intake but another midfielder, Bless Akolbire, is also worth keeping an eye on.
Akolbire has yet to establish himself as a regular in the starting lineup for the U18s but his quality is clear and of late he has been selected to participate in two training sessions with the first-team squad despite being just 16 years old.
The youngster spent some time out injured last season but he is now fully fit and has shown some glimpses of what he is capable of. A skilful player who is an impressive passer, Akolbire is usually deployed as one of the two advanced midfielders for the U18s.
Although he has some room for improvement off the ball, Akolbire’s overall game is of a high standard and he could soon become an important player for Jack Wilshere’s team.
With Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly having stepped up to the U21s, a space could well open up for Akolbire in the U18s, although there are several other options for Wilshere to consider.
The prospect’s involvement in first-team training is another indication of how highly regarded he is at the club and it may not be too long before Akolbire starts to make a major impact.
Arsenal ensured that Akolbire was tied down to a scholarship deal early and the signs are encouraging for a bright future.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Hale End is really stacked with talent these days. Exciting times for us Gooners. Always good to see our boys coming through and, even if not with us, having a good career.
I would really like to see Nwaneri getting some more chances with the first team, he looks very very exciting!
Big kudos to the youth academy being absolutely brilliant!
Bless him
Thank you for the interesting story. Nice to see some home grown talent getting a mention. I do also miss the young foreign imports we use to get like Fabrigas, those type of players dont seem to be found any more. Maybe we need some new scouts. I believe the future will be developing youth players as the prices for new players and wages have gone to extreme levels. So the more youth players that can be found and developed for the first team, the more prosperous and exciting it will be.
Brexit chsnged that significantly. Unsure, you should ask J but think there’s more restriction on u18 from continent now.
V excited about future of hale Enders. I’m still hurting from Jerry / Balogun leaving so here’s hoping we have a few more come through. I know Nwaneri catching that hype but Lewis skelly looks unbelievable whenever I’ve seen him play.