Young Guns to look out for at Arsenal next season

It's no secret that Arsenal field the youngest team in the Premier League, but according to insiders, the current crop of youth and reserve players are the best the club has ever had and we could start to see some of them breaking into the first team squad this season.

We've already seen a fair bit of Lukasz Fabianski and Armand Traore, while we've had tantalising glimpses of Henri Lansbury, Kieran Gibbs and Mark Randall, but there are a whole slew of other players that are just waiting for their chance, aside from new signings Luke Freeman, Carlos Vela and Aaron Ramsey.

Unfortunately, unless there are some injuries to current first team regulars, it's unlikely we'll see too much of the emerging teenage talent this season. But as usual the Carling Cup will give us an idea of who we can expect to be pushing for places in a couple of years time.

Gibbs and Randall were loaned out last season and should have benefitted from that experience, while Jay Simpson comes back to the club having been voted PFA PLayer of the Year in League One for his stint at Millwall.

Kerrea Gilbert has already been loaned out to Leicester for the season, having been at Cardiff last year, and I think we'll hear about more loan deals in the days ahead as Arsene Wenger and his coaching staff aim to develop their young stars.

So who are the names to look for in the season ahead...?

Well, among the most promising players in the youth set up are strikers Nacer Barazite, Gilles Sunu, Cedric Evina and Rhys Murphy.

In midfield there are Sanchez Watt, Fran Merida and Jack Wilshere, the latter of whom had an amazing campaign last year and is being carefully watched by Le Gaffer who has said he is keen to promote him to the first team squad despite being just 16-years-old.

And in defence - an area that Arsenal need to strengthen most, in my humble opinion - there are Emmanuel Frimpong, Craig Eastmond, Jay-Emmanuel Thomas, Abu Ogogo and Kyle Bartley among others, although the principal star seems to be Norwegian teenager Havard Nordtveit, whom Wenger describes as one of the most mature players he's ever worked with.

Of that lot, I'd say Thomas, Merida, Wilshere, Sunu, Barazite and Nordtveit will be the ones likely to make the headlines, but maybe not at Arsenal, as the majority will doubtlessly be farmed out on loan to bolster their experience.

Have you seen any of the above players in action? If so what did you think? And who is your tip to break into the first team this season? Share your thoughts here.

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Posted by Gordon Masson on July 28, 2008 8:36 AM in Players
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