In truth, Arsenal have a fair few Hale End talents who deserve to be playing senior football next season given their progress.
If there can be any criticism of Mikel Arteta’s time as manager of Arsenal, it will be that more youngsters haven’t been given an opportunity.
Of course, the obvious caveat to that argument is the position the club are in today, currently travelling to Germany to try and progress to a Champions League semi-final.
Arsenal have made so much progress in the space of two years, and such has been the demand on the players involved, it hasn’t quite been the ideal environment for young players to come through.
But with Charlie Patino set to leave this summer, and with Lino Sousa having already left for Aston Villa, hopefully that will soon change.
Hale End is brimming with talent, and whilst Chido Obi-Martin is best to progress with the under-21s next season given his age, others now need to move on.
Both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Amario Cozier-Duberry seem ready to make the next step, but perhaps no one is better prepared than Ethan Nwaneri.
Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri is more than ready for senior football next season
Having scored two goals for Arsenal’s Premier League 2 side yesterday, Ethan Nwaneri now has 10 goals in 11 games.
The 17-year-old is progressing rapidly and has made all the overall development that the club would have hoped for this year.
But it’s clear that Nwaneri has now outgrown youth football, and he deserves to play for a senior side.
Perhaps a step up to the Arsenal first team may still be too soon, even if that doesn’t seem impossible given the midfielder’s talent.
But either way, Nwaneri needs to play senior football of some description next year, and perhaps a loan move could be perfect.
Jack Wilshere’s youth career is a great example
Although Jack Wilshere’s career didn’t ultimately hit the heights hoped owing to his injuries, a loan spell at Bolton Wanderers really helped his progress.
In 2010, 18-year-old Wilshere was sent to Owen Coyle’s side, where he played 14 Premier League games.
The following season, Wilshere then played 35 league matches for Arsene Wenger, demonstrating how worthwhile the move proved to be.
Ethan Nwaneri deserves that chance, and it feels like his needs senior games under his belt, even if it’s only for a short loan.
But the Arsenal youngster can’t spend next season with the youth side, he’s outgrown that level now.
All that being said, it seems as if Arsenal have now been handed some good news in regards to Martin Odegaard’s fitness.