Arsenal
Substance, Style, Spectacle Over Results: Is The Arsenal Youth System A Success Or Failure?
Developing future stars is central to the aims of most premier league clubs. Since the league’s beginning in 1992 the youth programme has expanded to huge levels. There are over 40 youth academies across the country and Arsenal’s youth academy features predominantly. As Premier league clubs now are under more pressure than ever to produce youth talent have Arsenal kept up the tradition or have they fallen behind?
In the Premier league British clubs are now under more pressure to produce young English talents so that they are able to go along with Greg Dyke’s bullish prediction that England could win the world cup in 2022. Arsenal at the moment are doing this. Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere have come up through the youth system to play a prominent part in Arsenal’s success and you cannot accuse Wenger of shying away from British talent. Ramsey, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Wilshere, Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain are all on long term contracts with the club and provide the Arsenal side with a British core that is youthful and exciting.
However excluding Wilshere and Gibbs from the equation all of these young British prospects have begun their careers elsewhere. Jenksinson at Charlton, Ramsey came through the youth ranks at Cardiff and Oxlade Chamberlain and Walcott were products of the Southampton academy. This in itself suggests that the players they have are not products of the youth system at all and that the youth academy were failing, only producing two players who have made it currently at the highest level of English football.
But the fact of the matter is Wenger was smart enough to realise that these talented young players were available and he snapped them all up for relatively small fees. They all now play a big part in Arsenal’s success currently and the purchases are looked upon as brilliant bits of business by Wenger.WojcechSzczesny is also an academy player who is now an established member of Wenger’s first team. Having these three academy players is majorly impressive for a Champions league club and there are few if any of the major teams in England who can match that statistic.
But where is the current crop of youth talent to come through the ranks? The current bunch of players that Arsenal have at their disposal include: Damian Martinez, Hector Bellerin, Isaac Hayden and Chuba Akpom. All of these players have been given chances to impress in capital one cup matches and the occasional premier league cameo but none of them at this moment in time can claim to have a legitimate chance of breaking into the first team and playing regular first team football. So why has the academy become less productive? Where has all the youth talent gone?
Part of the reasoning behind this lies in the move that Arsenal made in 2006 to the Emirates stadium. It was the start of a new era for the gunners, the beginning of a new chapter. But most importantly it was another change in the club’s development. In the aftermath of the move Arsenal were forced to focus all their efforts on bringing in talent from the academy into the first team. This was down to the huge financial investment that the club had put into making the stadium.
There was little established talent bought in that season and players like Gibbs and Wilshere were given chances to show what they could do at the highest level. The strategy in the end has bore little fruit though with Arsenal not winning a trophy for 9 years since the stadium switch. But despite this, these youth players were important for Wenger at the time and it was a philosophy he stuck by for a very long time, not buying proven world class players but instead adopting an approach where he was able to bring in young players who were going to be important in the years to come.
These youth prospects like Szczesny, Gibbs and Wilshere have made it now and are key members of the senior squad, and now it seems as if Wenger has had a change of heart, he has begun thinking that it’s time to change the philosophy put in place and focus on bringing in experienced players who know what it’s like to win at the highest level.
This began in January of 2011 where Wenger bought in Per Mertesacker, Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun. These transfers brought a change in focus to the Wenger philosophy and it’s clear that at this point he saw too many flaws with the youthful experiment and he wanted a change of plan. The signings of MesutOzil last season and Alexis Sanchez this season have only enhanced the view that experience is just as key as youth. With these signings it is clear that Arsenal are now able to sign world class players instead of having to make their own.
This could be bad for potential Arsenal youth products though. Instead of taking the time to develop a player who will become the next big thing in the future, they can go out and buy a fully ready-made version. Players are still given opportunities to show that they are stars for the future but these chances are becoming more limited and these could be the only chances that they get again. This though isn’t necessarily down to Arsenal’s youth system being a failure; it is more down to the fact that Arsenal’s youth system now faces a tougher challenge than ever before; being able to bring in top experienced talent as well as bringing in exceptional youth talent that can benefit the senior squad as well.
Overall though I would say that Arsenal’s youth academy is not a failure at all, despite calls for change from the likes of Andries Jonker Arsenal are still capable of producing top talent all the time. An example of this is Gedion Zelalem; he is only 17 years of age but already has been hailed as the next big thing. He’s been compared to Fabregas, Ozil and many others along the way and is a key part of Wenger’s future plans. This shows that Wenger may well have changed his philosophy, but he hasn’t lost the eye for a top player.
Only the most gifted like potentially Zelalem will make it through the youth ranks with the increased competition from others. But it’s clear that talent like this will always be given a look by Wenger. If he can help Arsenal produce more talents like he has done with Wilshere and Gibbs then Arsenal could potentially save themselves millions and fully justify their need for the academy investment.
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Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have mutually agreed to terminate their controversial sleeve sponsorship when the current season concludes in June 2026. The partnership, which made Visit Rwanda Arsenal’s first-ever sleeve partner in 2018, will end after eight seasons amid ongoing criticism about Rwanda spending millions on Premier League advertising while facing poverty challenges domestically.
Financial Success Justifies Rwandan Investment
Rwanda’s tourism revenues increased 47% since the partnership began, reaching $650 million in 2024 with visitor arrivals hitting 1.3 million. These figures vindicate the Rwanda Development Board’s decision to invest heavily in Arsenal’s global platform despite fierce backlash when the deal was initially announced.
Jean-Guy Afrika, Rwanda Development Board CEO, acknowledged the partnership’s groundbreaking impact. “It broke new ground for tourism boards around the world, driving awareness and visitation for Rwandan tourism at a pace traditional campaigns could never match.”
The collaboration included Arsenal Heritage Day at Emirates Stadium and visits from club legends including Alex Scott, Mathieu Flamini, and Bacary Sagna, alongside current players Jurrien Timber, Caitlin Foord, and Katie McCabe. They experienced Rwanda’s mountain gorilla trekking, Big Five safaris in Akagera, and participated in the annual Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony.
Strategic Pivot to LA Rams and SoFi Stadium
Rwanda’s decision reflects broader strategy to diversify sports partnerships beyond football. The nation recently partnered with LA Rams and SoFi Stadium through the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment Group, signaling expansion into American markets.
Arsenal CEO Richard Garlick emphasized the partnership’s financial importance. “The commitment and support of Visit Rwanda throughout our partnership has played an important role in driving forward our ambitions – helping us invest in our long-term vision to win major trophies, in a financially sustainable way.”
Rwanda remains committed through the remainder of the 2025-26 season, with Visit Rwanda continuing as sleeve sponsor for Arsenal’s men’s and women’s teams until June 2026.
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Arsenal Dragon
Double Injury Blow: Arsenal Attacker Suffers Setback as Gabriel Magalhaes Faces Potential Two-Month Absence
Arsenal have been dealt a devastating double injury blow during the international break, with Kai Havertz suffering a minor relapse and Gabriel Magalhaes potentially sidelined for two months with a thigh injury sustained representing Brazil.
Havertz’s Return Delayed Until Year’s End
Julian Nagelsmann confirmed Havertz has experienced complications in his recovery from August’s knee surgery. “Kai had a minor relapse on his injury, but overall, he’s doing well. He is expected to return towards the end of the year,” the Germany manager stated after his side’s 6-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Slovakia.
The setback eliminates any possibility of Havertz featuring in Sunday’s North London derby against Tottenham. The 26-year-old has been restricted to just one appearance this season, playing 30 minutes in Arsenal’s opening-day victory over Manchester United before undergoing a “minor surgical procedure” on his knee.
Havertz initially targeted mid-November for his comeback after spending three months on the treatment table. This latest relapse extends his absence through December, forcing Arsenal to continue relying on Mikel Merino as an auxiliary striker option.
Gabriel’s Thigh Injury Compounds Crisis
Gabriel Magalhaes suffered a thigh injury during Brazil’s friendly against Senegal, with early indications suggesting a one-to-two month absence. The Brazilian defender has arguably been Arsenal’s most important performer this season, making his potential absence devastating for Mikel Arteta’s title ambitions.
Arsenal face a congested fixture schedule through the festive period without two crucial first-team players. Viktor Gyokeres remains doubtful for the derby with his own hamstring problem, while Riccardo Calafiori has been ruled out of Italy’s World Cup qualifier against Norway with a thigh issue.
The injury crisis leaves Arsenal dangerously thin across multiple positions heading into the busiest period of the season. Arteta must navigate crucial matches against Tottenham, Manchester City, and Liverpool while managing an increasingly depleted squad.
Read More: (Video and Photos) Watch Mikel Merino’s Impressive Choices as he Goes Jersey Shopping
Arsenal Women will be looking to end a three-game winless run when they welcome Real Madrid Women to Meadow Park for Wednesday’s Women’s Champions League contest. As for Las Blancas, they will be desperate to bounce back from Saturday’s heavy defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico.
Arsenal Women vs. Real Madrid Women: Predicted Lineups
Arsenal Women (4-2-3-1): Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, Hinds; Pelova, Cooney-Cross; Mead, Caldentey, Foord; Russo
Real Madrid Femenino (4-2-3-1): Misa; Navarro, Mendez, Lakrar, Holmgaard; Angeldal, Dabritz; Feller, Weir, Caicedo; Redondo
Also read: Ailing Katie Reid Receives Words of Consolation From Arsenal Loanee Suffering From Same Injury
Match Preview
Arsenal have struggled for consistency this season, recording five wins, four draws and three defeats in 12 competitive matches. The Gunners have gone three games without a win since their 4-1 victory over Leicester City at the start of the month.
They played out draws against Chelsea and Tottenham, either side of a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Bayern Munich on matchday three. Renee Slegers’s side gave up a two-goal lead in Germany, representing their second European defeat after losing 2-1 to Lyon in their first outing.
The reigning European champions sit in 11th place and just a point ahead of teams outside the top 12. Arsenal can take confidence from already beating Real Madrid on home soil this year, claiming a 3-0 victory to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit in March’s quarter-final clash.
Fifth-placed Real Madrid are comfortably inside the top 12 and eyeing a top-four spot. Las Blancas started with a 6-2 victory over Roma, before edging out PSG 2-1 in France. Pau Quesada’s side looked set to fall to their first European defeat against Paris FC, before Caroline Weir rescued her side with a 98th-minute equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw.
Weir saw her penalty saved in Saturday’s El Clasico against Barcelona. The Blaugrana went on to score two late goals to wrap up a 4-0 victory, dropping Real Madrid to fourth position in the Liga F table.
Team News
Arsenal remain without Manuela Zinsberger, Katie Reid, Leah Williamson and Kim Little. Victoria Pelova could earn a recall after dropping to the bench against Tottenham.
Real Madrid travel without Merle Frohms, Antonia, Sandie Toletti and Signe Bruun. Sara Holmgaard could return at left-back, while Alba Redondo is pushing for a recall.
Kick-off: 8:00 PM Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Venue: Meadow Park, Borehamwood
TV: Disney+ (UK) | Paramount+ (USA)
Also read: 3 Things We Learned From Arsenal Women’s Frustrating 0-0 Draw Against Tottenham Women
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