The Gunners have some incredible young talent coming through the ranks to follow in the footsteps of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe
Arsenal has always been a club that prides itself on the opportunities it gives young players.
Time and time again we’ve seen youngsters come through in north London and force their way into the first team.
From the likes of David Rocastle and Michael Thomas under George Graham, to current homegrown stars Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, the list is endless.
But who could be next to emerge from the Gunners' youth ranks at Hale End to make a name for themselves at the Emirates Stadium?
GOAL takes a look…
Getty ImagesCharlie Patino
Arsenal’s highly rated young midfielder has already given fans a glimpse of what he can do.
Expectation has been growing around Patino for the past couple of years, such have been the quality of his performances while progressing through the ranks at Hale End.
And he did little to lessen the hype when he scored just 10 minutes into his first-team debut last season, coming off the bench to net against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
The 18-year-old has yet to feature in the Premier League, but opportunities could soon come, with Mikel Arteta expected to integrate him even more closely into the first-team picture during the coming campaign.
A classy midfielder with excellent technique, Patino is best operating in a No.8 type role, although he is comfortable playing in a number of midfield positions.
AdvertisementOmari Hutchinson
A winger who produced his own personal highlight reel last season, such was the quality of the goals he scored for the Under-23s.
Hutchinson is a player who is known for the spectacular, whether it be for his outrageously good technique and trickery, or his ability to beat players while running at them with pace.
The 18-year-old was on the first-team bench several times towards the end of the 2021-22 campaign, but never got on to make his senior debut.
That could happen this season, however, should Arsenal opt to keep him around the squad during the first half of the season rather than sending him out on loan.
Getty ImagesMarcelo Flores
Another Arsenal youngster who loves the spectacular.
Flores had to bide his time during the early weeks of last season, but enjoyed a breakthrough year after he was finally given his opportunity to impress with the Under-23s.
The attacking midfielder can play across the forward line, and although he has yet to make his senior debut for the Gunners, he has won his first senior cap for Mexico and could feature at this year’s World Cup.
Flores, like Patino and Hutchinson, is expected to travel with Arteta’s squad for the upcoming summer tour of the United States in pre-season and will be looking to make his mark.
It is expected he will stay at Arsenal during the first half of the season rather than go out on loan as he could get some game time in the Europa League group stage, as well as in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup.
Getty ImagesLino Sousa
The decision not to hand young left-back Joel Lopez a new contract this summer caused plenty of surprise amongst the Arsenal fanbase.
But those who saw the performances that Lino Sousa produced following his move from West Brom in January will understand why Lopez was allowed to leave.
Sousa was hugely impressive for the U23s during the second half of last season and has already established himself as one of the most exciting young prospects at Hale End during his short time with the club.
The 17-year-old left-back will look to really kick on this season, and Lopez’s exit should mean he should start almost every game in Premier League 2 during the current campaign.