Hale End academy product Bukayo Saka has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best attacking players since his breakthrough into the first team.
But he is just one example of players who have come through Arsenal’s illustrious academy and progressed into the senior setup. Emile Smith-Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson have also proved that you can go all the way from prospect to Premier League regular, but it hasn’t worked out that way for everyone.
Here are five Arsenal academy products who ultimately failed to deliver on their huge potential…
JACK WILSHERE
The boy-wonder who burst onto the scene by bossing one of the greatest midfields of all-time on that famous night Champions League night against Barcelona. He played 49 games in all competitions in that breakthrough 10/11 season, but only reached 40 games just once over the next seven seasons at Arsenal due to persistent injury problems.
Following a loan move to Bournemouth and brief resurgence in Arsene Wenger’s final season, Wilshere ended up being let go once Wenger departed in 2018 and joined West Ham where injuries continued to hold him back. Wilshere was tipped to be a key player for the Gunners and for England for many years to come but ended up being another unfortunate case of a player unable to deliver on their promise due to being unable to stay fit.
EMMANUEL FRIMPONG
Embed from Getty Images“He is a fighter and a winner,” said Wenger of the young midfielder, who broke into the team in 2011. An FA Youth Cup winner alongside Wilshere, there was a lot of hope around Frimpong. After a summer of change which saw Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri leave the club, he got his first Premier League start against Liverpool.
A promising start turned into a nightmare after he was sent off. Loan spells plus a bust-up with former team-mate Nasri after a cup game against Manchester City and Frimpong disappeared off the radar. He’d retired by the age of 27.
DAVID BENTLEY
Embed from Getty ImagesA young Gunner from the age of 13, many at Arsenal had high-hopes for David Bentley. A right winger with flair, a great cross and dashing good looks, maybe the comparisons to a young Beckham got too much. He was also touted as ‘the next Bergkamp’ around the club.
He announced himself to the fans with an audacious chip goal in a 2004 FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough, but he struggled to build on his early promise and left for Blackburn Rovers in 2008, where he would impress and earn a move to Tottenham. But despite some positive moments in his career, he never really delivered on the early hype and had retired by the age of 29.
JEREMIE ALLIADIERE
Embed from Getty ImagesJeremie Alliadiere was part of the ‘Invincibles’ squad with the likes of Thierry Henry, Nwankwo Kanu and Dennis Bergkamp. With pace, skill and finishing ability, Alliadiere had a lot of attributes to make him a success, but it seemed to be that someone was always ahead of him in the pecking order. Eye-catching performances over the years, at the San Siro and Anfield, weren’t enough for him as he signed for Middlesbrough in 2007.
FRAN MERIDA
Embed from Getty ImagesA talent Arsene Wenger described as an ‘absolutely amazing player’, there was real belief Arsenal had signed yet another La Masia gem from Barcelona’s academy. Taking his time to get into the Arsenal team, in 2009 he dazzled fans with a screamer against Liverpool to win a League Cup tie.
Just as he was settling into first team surroundings and beginning contract talks with the club, Atletico Madrid came in and lured Merida back to his native Spain in 2010. “I should have been more patient at Arsenal,” admitted the Spaniard, who only played 20 times for Atleti in two years, never reaching the heights Wenger thought he could.
