Done deal: Arsenal reach full agreement to sign versatile new attacker from South London academy

Arsenal show youth academy pathway
It has been a mixed few years for Arsenal's academy, with several players leaving in search of pastures new and regular Premier League football in recent seasons. Following the crop of Hale End graduates that included Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe, there was a reluctance to risk academy talents by Mikel Arteta, either based on their talent or senior-level readiness.

Arsenal acadamy graduates' Premier League debuts

Player

Debut

Age at debut

Myles Lewis-Skelly

September 22nd 2024

17 years 11 months 27 days

Ethan Nwaneri

September 18th 2022

15 years 05 months 28 days

Folarin Balogun

August 13th 2021

20 years 01 month 10 days

Emile Smith Rowe

December 15th 2019

19 years 04 months 17 days

Bukayo Saka

January 1st 2019

17 years 03 months 27 days

Joe Willock

April 15th 2018

18 years 07 months 26 days

That led to several high profile exits, led by Omari Hutchinson, who left the Gunners for London rivals Chelsea before eventually impressing at Ipswich Town and earning a permanent move to Portman Road over the summer after helping them get promoted back to the Premier League.

Armando Cozier-Duberry also grew tired of waiting for a first team opportunity behind Saka, making a permanent move to join Brighton over the summer, though he is yet to feature for the Seagulls and is spending the 2024/25 campaign with Blackburn Rovers.

Previously highly-rated duo Charlie Patino and Reuell Walters both left the club permanently over the summer too, with neither having made enough of an impression to land a spot in the first team, while the same was true of Brooke Norton-Cuffy after several loan

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