3 Arsenal academy players who need to go out on loan in January

The January window is set to be a busy one for Arsenal - not in terms of arrivals, but mainly departures. Arsenal have a plethora of top-quality young players at the club who are ready to take the next step.

Already this window, the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Dejan Iliev have gone out on loan. Eddie Nketiah is also set to leave despite just returning from a spell at Leeds United, which didn’t work out too well.

The importance of young players to Arsenal has always been paramount, but none more so than now. This is a time where the Gunners are struggling to compete with their rivals in the market, so instead they must produce the better academy products. And in order for those diamonds in the dirt to be fine-tuned, they must first put in the work on loan.

Here are three Arsenal academy players that need to go out on loan this month.

#3 Zech Medley

Many have looked at Zech Medley as the potential answer to all of Arsenal’s defensive problems. The youngster is one of Arsenal’s brightest prospects, with many tipping him to be the next one to break through at the Emirates.

At just 19 years of age, Medley has made six U23 and two EFL trophy appearances this season. During pre-season, Unai Emery took the defender to the US tour in which he started several games alongside Laurent Koscielny.

But in the match against Angers, Medley proved that he wasn’t quite ready for first team football. The youngster lost the ball on a few occasions and even lost out on a few aerial duels.

A loan deal this month would allow the 19-year-old to gain some senior experience at a Championship club or mid-table team in one of Europe’s top 5 leagues. He needs to work on his decision-making, man-marking, composure on the ball and positioning before he's ready to break into Arsenal’s first team.

#2 Robbie Burton

Robbie Burton joined the Gunners when he was six years old, and has progressed his way through the ranks impressively. Like Medley, Burton featured in Arsenal’s pre-season tour of USA. Many have likened the skill-set of Burton to that of a young Aaron Ramsey.

His impressive displays at U23 level have caught the eye of several Championship clubs, with the Gunners looking to get him into senior football as quickly as possible. Unai Emery himself said that the youngster can play as a 6 or 8, meaning he has the versatility to adapt his game depending on the opposition.

This season, the 20-year-old has made 13 PL2 appearances, scoring three goals in the process. However, the closest the Welsh U21 international has gotten to first team football is a bench appearance against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup, where he unfortunately didn’t make it onto the pitch.

All the young midfielder needs now is a run in a senior team, so he can get used to the physicality that’ll be demanded of him in the Premier League.

#1 Folarin Balogun

Remember the name: Folarin Balogun is a player who’ll make the Emirates his personal training ground in the near future.

The 18-year-old Englishman has proven himself to be clinical and wonderfully composed in front of goal. It’s no wonder that he aims to base him game off the current Arsenal captain.

In an interview with the club’s official website, Balogun said:

“I am the sort of striker that likes to play on the shoulder of the last defender and make runs behind them, similar to the way that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang plays.”

The youngster has impressed so much that despite just being 18, he was instantly promoted to the U23 team after scoring 25 goals in 19 appearances. If the striker can continue on his current upward trajectory, he will be the one, not Eddie Nketiah, to break up the Aubameyang-Lacazette partnership.

Academy level is not a challenge for the striker though, and he must go on loan this month to further accelerate his progress.

Edited by Musab Abid