Under Arsene Wenger’s management, Arsenal produced some quality youngsters in their academy. Several of these young men made their ways into the Arsenal senior team and a lot of expectations were placed on their shoulders.
While some met expectations, others failed to live up to the hype and ended their stays at the club prematurely. In time, Arsenal academy players moved on to other teams in the Premier League and beyond, building their careers outside of north London. Arsenal are flying high so far this season as Mikel Arteta seeks more silverware. Fans are debating whether Arsenal can continue their great league form. Football bettors can visit https://easyodds.com/free-bets to get the latest bonus bet offers before wagering on the Gunners’ next game.
So, what happened to these ex-Arsenal academy players?
- Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere was universally considered by Arsenal supporters as the next great Premier League midfielder. Unfortunately, his stats never quite met the hype and a large number of injuries curtailed his playing time at the Emirates. After a bright start as a teenager, Wilshere became nothing more than a squad player until leaving the club in 2018 for West Ham. He made 197 total Arsenal appearances, and scored just 14 goals.
- Serge Gnabry
To say Serge Gnabry was an Arsenal academy product alone would be a mistake. He played at Stuttgart for five years prior to joining Arsenal’s academy in 2011. He only spent one season in Arsenal’s youth academy before graduating to the senior squad. In four years, he made just 18 appearances in all competitions. While at West Brom on loan, Tony Pulis famously stated Gnabry wasn’t up to playing at the club’s level. Gnabry moved to Werder Bremen in 2016 and has since become one of the best wingers in the world. In 2020, he lifted his first Champions League trophy.
- Ashley Cole
Football fans of a certain generation will immediately associate full-back Ashley Cole with Chelsea. However, the former England international spent seven seasons at Arsenal and graduated from the academy before moving to Chelsea. Although loathed by Arsenal fans today, Cole was a major part of the Invincibles. He made 228 total appearances for Arsenal during his time at the club.
- Wojciech Szczesny
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny graduated from the Gunners’ academy in 2009 and went on loan to Brentford. Upon return, Szczesny slotted into Arsenal at goalkeeper. Wenger lost faith in Szczesny after a series of mistakes, however. He was loaned to Roma in 2015 for two seasons. In 2017, Szczesny became Juventus’s shot-stopper and has landed a clutch of domestic trophies.
- Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas moved from Barcelona’s famed La Masia to Arsenal’s academy before graduating to the first team. Fabregas began making Premier League appearances in 2004 and took the division by storm. He was an exciting player under Wenger and his development continued as a regular in the side. In 2011, Fabregas moved back Barcelona where he spent three seasons. A move to Chelsea continued his success on the pitch, although a decline was noticeable as his time continued on at Stamford Bridge. Fabregas signed for AS Monaco in 2018 when former teammate Thierry Henry acquired him during his ill-fated managerial run at the club.