Arsenals next generation- Hale End Academy.

Arsenal have seen some of their youngsters go from strength to strength in recent years. Arsenal Vavel take a look into the Hale End Academy and how Arsenal are now benefiting from these starlets pushing for places in the first team.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 01: (L-R) Bukayo Saka, Joe WIllock, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson of Arsenal celebrate after the FA Cup Final match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on August 01, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

By Dan George18 November 2020 11:55 BST

Arsenal football club have been well renowned over past years for producing and bringing in top young talent.

The likes of Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshire are just a few to name that the club have developed from a young age and have come from the youth teams and into the first team.

Overview

Friday 31^st March 2017 marked the date that Arsenal unveiled their Hale End Academy after major redevelopments costing the club £50 million. The academy is currently headed up by Per Mertesacker who has been in charge of overseeing the whole set up since 2018.

Mertesacker is in close contact with technical director Edu Gaspar and recently completed a review of the entire academy set up removing people from their jobs that they felt were holding the academy back and preventing them from operating in the most efficient way possible.

Products of this investment

Over recent years, Hale end academy has produced many top-quality talents and the Arsenal first team are now beginning to benefit from these players coming through into the first team and challenging for starting places.

The likes of Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock, Bukayo Saka, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Eddie Nketiah are all top talents The Gunners now have pushing to get into their first team.

These options provided to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta mean that the team has so many more options and strength in depth for his team this season.

High performers Saka and Maitland-Niles have earned themselves call ups for the England national team as well because of their performances for Arsenal.

Nelson, Nketiah and Willock have also impressed in the Europa league and other cup competitions. All three have been pushing Arteta with their top-quality performances to try and get into the first team.

A look into the future

These youngsters have been a breath of fresh air for Arsenal fans to watch grow and develop into the exciting football players that they are now becoming.

All people associated with the North London club will hope that these players can continue to grow into special members of that first team and lead The Gunners to many successful seasons.

The Arsenal board of Vinai Venkatesham and Edu Gaspar will hope the starlets alongside Summer investments will push The Gunners into the top 4 and Champions League places by the end of this season.

Hale End is also home to many more exciting young players that are just beginning their journey.

Miguel Azeez and Forlian Balogun are two standout names that could come into the Arsenal first team and make an impact in future years to come.