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Mikel Arteta has made a huge impression since taking over as manager at Arsenal. The Spaniard's vision to get the Gunners back to the top was always going to take time but it's fair to say it is off to a decent start.
Since taking over at the Emirates, Arteta has focused on giving a lot of youngsters a chance with the first team and this could very well be the new Arsenal going forward. The likes of Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah, Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Martinelli have been given a lot more game-time since the former Manchester City assistant manager took over and next season could see the same thing happen.
With the current state of the transfer market and Arsenal's financial struggles, the north London outfit might not be able to spend a lot of money on signings. This could see exciting youngsters get a lot more action in the first team next season.
With that said, here are five Arsenal youngsters who should get promoted to the first team next season:
1. Konstantinos Mavropanos
A lot was expected from Konstantinos Mavropanos when he joined Arsenal in 2018. The giant Greek defender was famed scout Sven Mislintat's first signing after joining the Gunners and he was destined to become a top defender. He was initially expected to go out on loan but Arsene Wenger was so impressed with his performances in the under-23 team that he decided to keep him.
Mavropanos made his debut against Manchester United and would go on to keep his first clean sheet in the following game against Burnley. The last game of that season saw him get sent off against Leicester City and marked the start of his injury problems.
However, the 22-year-old has been quite impressive for FC Nurnberg since joining them on loan at the start of this year and this could just be his route back to the Arsenal team. He played a total of 11 games for the club and even though they finished the season third from the bottom, he appears to have gotten his confidence back, with an added string of games under his belt.
Mavropanos initially showed signs that he has what it takes to play in the Premier League and with his injury worries now seemingly behind him, he deserves to get one last chance at Arsenal.
2. Jordi Osei-Tutu
Before the start of this season, not a lot of Arsenal fans would have heard of Jordi Osei-Tutu. However, the young Englishman has been impressing since his days at the Gunners' youth set-up. To further develop himself, Osei-Tutu decided to try his luck in Germany and was loaned out to VfL Bochum at the start of the current campaign.
Osei-Tutu played a central role for the German second division club this season, helping them finish 8th. He scored five goals and provided three assists in 21 appearances for the club. Originally a right-back, Osei-Tutu ended up finding his best form after playing in a more advanced role and at 21, he could be eager for a chance at Arsenal.
Given the way Arteta is moving forward with this Arsenal team, Osei-Tutu might just get his chance next season. As mentioned before, Arsenal will be restricted for money in the upcoming transfer window, and having a young and bright player like Osei-Tutu could come in handy.
3. Emile Smith Rowe
Emile Smith Rowe is very well known at Arsenal. The 19-year-old came through the youth set-up at the club and has been impressive every step of the way. The youngster has also featured two times for the Arsenal first team and has scored three goals.
The teenager has been just as impressive in his current loan spell at Huddersfield Town. He joined the Terriers on loan at the turn of the year and has registered one goal and three assists in 12 appearances for the club.
This loan spell has seen him get a lot of game-time under his belt and this could be the stepping stone he needs to become a regular at Arsenal next season.
The London giants have been looking for a replacement for Mesut Ozil for a while now and with their restricted transfer budget, Smith Rowe could save them millions by taking over from the German. At 19, he has already proven himself at Arsenal and could become a critical part of Mikel Arteta's team next season.
Huddersfield’s former head of football David Webb believes Smith Rowe is destined to become an Arsenal regular after impressing at the West Yorkshire club. Webb said:
"Right from the first training session, you could see his quality was immense straight away. I think he’s given the team a different dynamic to how they want to play, because he can play as a number ten or break-in number eight. Over the next two to three years, you’re probably going to see someone who is going to have a really good career in the Premier League. I know Mikel had worked with him previously before he joined Manchester City at the academy, so he’s well acquainted with Emile’s talent and he’s a big fan of Emile as a player and person.”
4. Zech Medley
Zech Medley joined the Arsenal academy back in 2016 and has been a crucial part of the youth set-up since then. The imposing 6’4″ player has already made three appearances for the senior team.
At 19, Medley is at an important stage in his career where he needs to make all the right choices if he wants to succeed at Arsenal. The fact that Arteta decided to include him in first-team training after the restart would suggest that he has great potential at the club.
For the remainder of this season, however, his job might just be to observe and gain as much knowledge as possible.
5. Trae Coyle
Trae Coyle has spent his entire career at Arsenal and could finally be on the cusp of breaking into the first team. He could have made it to the first team earlier but injuries prevented that from happening. However, over the past couple of seasons, he has found his best form once again and has gotten his career back on track.
The 19-year-old is known for his versatility and can play on either flank of the midfield or as a striker. He has a natural eye for goal and can spot a pass in a way no one else can. His ability to play with both feet is another one of his defining factors.
The Englishman made his first-team debut in a non-competitive match against Brentford and this could just be the start. With Arsenal unlikely to make more than one big-name signing ahead of next season, promoting players like Coyle could be the way forward.
Coyle has been impressing at all levels so far and at 19, his time to finally break into the first team is right around the corner.
