As Arsenal prepare to travel to the USA for the start of their pre-season tour, we’re looking at which academy prospects should be joining them on the trip.
Before we go any further, it’s worth mentioning that this isn’t an easy decision for the Arsenal coaches. They already have a number of youth friendlies scheduled in England, so it’s not worth sending a player off to America if they’re not going to feature at all.
Instead, the club should only take along the very top prospects who could end up staking a claim for first-team spots when the season gets underway. Let’s have a look at the top five in contention.
1Joe Willock
Willock was very impressive for the academy last season, and he looked ready for first-team chances. The midfielder scored three goals in six appearances for the senior side, and he should’ve had at least one more in the Europa League final.
With Aaron Ramsey gone and Arsenal’s transfer budget limited, someone needs to step up in the Welshman’s absence. With Willock’s 12 goals in all competitions last season, he could be the man to add more goal threat from midfield.