It has been a very quiet transfer window in general so far and that also applies to Arsenal’s academy.
The only activity has seen Mauro Bandeira and Omar Rekik return from loan spells at Colchester United and Wigan Athletic respectively, while Mika Biereth was recalled from Motherwell before being loaned out to Sturm Graz.
With the transfer deadline approaching, there are a host of academy players, in addition to Bandeira and Rekik, that are in need of loan spells.
Centre-back Taylor Foran, for instance, had a spell on loan at Hartlepool United in the second half of last season before returning to play for Arsenal U21s in the first half of this campaign.
Foran would benefit from further experience of senior football, while fellow centre-back Zane Monlouis is also eager to go out on loan for the first time.
Defenders Reuell Walters and Lino Sousa, who have been on the bench for the first-team at times this season, may well have to wait until next season to go on loan.
Striker Khayon Edwards has attracted interest from clubs in England and abroad, so he could be loaned out.
Meanwhile, winger Charles Sagoe Jr, the only academy player to play for the first-team so far this season, could also head out on his first temporary transfer.
It remains to be seen whether deals involving any of the aforementioned players will materialise in the next week or so, but it is clear that there are lots of players in the U21 setup who now need to test themselves at a higher level.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
As Arteta continues with his campaign to win something with a squad of 12-14, we see Liverpool and Manchester City blood equivalents of Foran, Rekik, etc. in meaningful first team games. Bobb scored the winner for Man City against Newcastle; Quansah set up the goal that got Liverpool to the League Cup final last night. Meanwhile, several of our youngsters endure the first team bench, knowing full well they won’t get a minute of playing time between them.
The club and manager need a different approach for us to win anything.
Per Transfer Market up to Match day 21, Arsenal have used 23 players, Man city 25 and Pool 27.
Only one of those has been an academy player (Walters for an hour in the League Cup third round)–which is the point I was making.
Walters played a preseason friendly. You talking about Sagoe Jr.
Interesting stats Chinus, thanks for those, but you know how a narrative goes…
Can’t agree with that, Bradley and Bobb are ones of only how few academy players, nobody produces a top 3 team s player every year from their academy .
If ours are good enough they will get chance .
“If ours are good enough they will get the chance”
Or “If you give them the chance, they will show if they are good enough”.
It’s a sensitive challenge. Firstly, you’ve got to think that MA, Per, etc know exactly how good our kids are and what they are likely to do in the first team. They see them train every day. It’s very much in the club’s interest to bring through academy talents after all. The other thing is that I look at City and Liverpool and they both have multiple players which can carry the team in difficult moments. It’s less of a risk for them to throw in an academy talent for a game they are likely to win anyway. Liverpool lost… Read more »
Firstly, you’ve got to think that MA, Per, etc know exactly how good our kids are and what they are likely to do in the first team. They see them train every day Fair point. “Knowing” is only one part of it; a willingness to risk, to experiment, to give opportunities are also relevant. Two managers could “know” a player’s quality, yet only one might take the risk, be ok with the experiment, etc. In other words–if you don’t try, you’ll never know. Managers like Klopp and Guardiola seem much more willing to risk, experiment, etc. than Arteta (even when… Read more »
While I’m not as exercised about the minutes academy players are getting, I do agree that there can be differences between how someone looks on the training ground and how they perform in a match. Consider how often we hear of someone’s excellence on the training ground but see mediocrity on game day; it’s not a definitive measure. Perhaps someone will rise to the occasion, but you’d never know if you don’t play him.