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4 Youth Cup stars ready to crack Arsenal 1st team

On Tuesday, Arsenal’s u18s won 5-1 against Colchester United to qualify for the FA Youth Cup semi-final, but which of the youngsters could someday make the first team?

There’s no doubting that the Arsenal academy have a load of promising players coming through. We all know about the likes of Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock in the u23s, but the next level down is offering just as much excitement.

Arsene Wenger told Arsenal Player on Tuesday: “I’m convinced that in the next two or three years, Arsenal will have a lot of satisfaction on [the academy] front. I’m convinced that the way for Arsenal to come back to fight for the Premier League is to rely on a core of young player to come out of our football club.”

So which of the youngsters involved in the cup run are most likely to knock on the door of the first team?

Emile Smith Rowe

Arsenal v Bayern Munich Premier League International Cup
Emile Smith Rowe
  • Age: 17
  • Position: Left Midfield/Left Wing/Central Midfield

Smith Rowe is one of the most promising players in the u18s at the moment, so much so that he’s actually made almost as many appearances for the u23s this season, despite his age.

The Croydon-born youngster joined the Hale End Academy in 2010, aged nine.

He has an eye for goal, but is also a good creator and a tricky dribbler. At the moment Reiss Nelson, a year older, is ahead of him in terms of first-team opportunities.

If Smith Rowe keeps up his performances though, it won’t be long until he gets a chance.

The winger got a taste of success with the England u17s in 2017, winning the World Cup in October. He appeared three times in the competition, scoring once and providing an assist in the semi-final.

2017/18 stats

  • Premier League 2 (u23s): 7 appearances, 1 goal, 2 assists.
  • U18 Premier League: 5 appearances, 3 goals.
  • FA Youth Cup: 4 appearances, 3 goals, 2 assists.
  • Overall: 16 appearances, 7 goals, 4 assists.

Tyreece John-Jules

John Jules
Tyreece John-Jules
  • Age: 17
  • Position: Centre-forward

John-Jules started the season with the u18s, but he’s starting to make a name for himself in the u23s as well. As large part of that is thanks to his performances in the FA Youth Cup.

Undoubtedly, the young striker’s main attribute is his goal scoring.

He scored the winner in extra-time at Anfield to knock out Liverpool, then scored again in the next round as Arsenal beat Middlesbrough 3-2. He only missed out on this week’s quarter-final thanks to a harsh red card in his last league game.

John-Jules has been with the academy since the age of eight, and we recently spoke to him about his progression through the youth teams and taking inspiration from the likes of Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah this season.

With Nketiah getting first-team chances, and Chuba Akpom and Stephy Mavididi out on loan, these next few months could be the 17-year-old’s chance to prove he’s ready for the step up.

2017/18 stats

  • Premier League 2 (u23s): 5 appearances, 3 goals.
  • U18 Premier League: 6 appearances, 4 goals, 1 assist.
  • FA Youth Cup: 3 appearances, 2 goals.
  • Overall: 14 appearances, 9 goals, 1 assist.

Xavier Amaechi

Ameachi Arsenal 1
Xavier Amaechi
  • Age: 17
  • Position: Right-wing/Midfield

Amaechi joined Arsenal at the age of 12 from Fulham FC. He’s a boyhood fan of the Gunners, so he definitely has the club at heart.

He’s fast, carries the ball well and is good in 1v1 situations.

He’s also a creative player, and admitted recently that he looks up to Mesut Özil. The 17-year-old hasn’t had the chance to train with the German so far, but at the rate he’s going it won’t be long.

Amaechi’s best performance of the season so far came in Arsenal’s first match in the Youth Cup, when he scored both of the goals in a 2-1 win against Sheffield Wednesday.

A special mention also has to go to his goal and general showing as the u18s demolished Tottenham 6-0 late last year.

2017/18 stats

  • Premier League 2 (u23s): 4 appearances, 1 assist.
  • U18 Premier League: 4 appearances, 4 goals.
  • FA Youth Cup: 4 appearances, 3 goals, 1 assist.
  • Overall: 12 appearances, 7 goals, 2 assists.

Folarin Balogun

ENFIELD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Christian Maghoma of Tottenham Hotspur and Folarin Balogun of Arsenal in action during a Premier League 2 match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur training ground, on October 23, 2017 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Folarin Balogun
  • Age: 16
  • Position: Centre-forward

Still just 16 years old, Balogun wasn’t initially part of the Youth Cup run, only making the bench. However, the striker has been on fire with the u18s in the league all season.

In his last three league games he scored four goals and provided two assists, so it was no surprise to see him finally get a start against Colchester United in the cup quarter-final.

As usual, he made the most of that start with a goal, Arsenal’s fourth on the night.

Powerful and clinical, the young striker is just unlucky the Arsenal academy have Nketiah and John-Jules in the u23s. Otherwise he’d surely have played more than the 102 minutes he has this season for the top academy side.

Given his age, he’ll get plenty more chances in the coming years.

2017/18 stats

  • Premier League 2 (u23s): 4 appearances.
  • U18 Premier League: 13 appearances, 9 goals, 3 assists.
  • FA Youth Cup: 1 appearances, 1 goal.
  • Overall: 18 appearances, 10 goals, 3 assists.
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