Arsenal senior stars formed a line and gave a round of applause to four youth players receiving promotions to the first team this week.

Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson have all received formal promotions to the first team this summer, earning new senior numbers (30, 32, 28 and 24 respectively).

Football.London report that the Arsenal first team celebrated the promotion by forming a line for the youngsters and giving them a ‘hearty round of applause’.

Mesut Özil was cheering them on particularly enthusiastically, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette were also among those joining in.

An informal ceremony to recognise the promotions is a really positive thing to see from the squad. It makes the step forward feel that much more tangible, and shows everyone involved that this is more than just a number change.

The likes of Tyreece John-Jules and Bukayo Saka will surely be looking on imagining that it’ll be their turn next year, whilst Willock, Smith Rowe, Nketiah and Nelson will now be fully focused on making the first-team transition permanent.

That starts with the pre-season tour of the USA, where they’ll all get some time on the pitch to prove themselves.