Arsenal are now working towards tying three Hale End academy prospects down to new contracts before they become free agents.
Arsenal are keen to keep their most talented youngsters at the club.
However, breaking through from the Hale End academy system into Mikel Arteta’s first team squad is arguably harder than it has ever been.
The standard at the top end of the Premier League table, where the Gunners are now competing for titles, is incredibly high, and the margin for error over the course of a campaign is vanishingly slim.
Arsenal keen to keep Reuell Walters, Amario Cozier-Duberry, and Karl Hein
Despite this, Arteta will still be keen to progress young talents up through the ranks. As such, a plan exists to integrate Ethan Nwaneri further into the Arsenal first team squad next season.
Meanwhile, Reuell Walters, Amario Cozier-Duberry, and Karl Hein are yet to be convinced that a pathway to senior game time exists for them in North London.
According to The Athletic, Arenal are “optimistic” that they will be able to convince this Hale End trio to pen new deals at the Emirates Stadium. As things stand, the trio are set to leave for free in just a matter of weeks.
Mikel Arteta sends message to Arsenal academy
Walters is keen to get a taste of first team football as soon as possible. Despite being highly thought of within the club, the 19-year-old is yet to make his debut for Arsenal and has not been given the chance to leave the club on loan before now. It could be, if he can be talked into signing a new contract first, that the Gunners let the defender go this summer on a temporary basis.
The same could be true of Cozier-Duberry. The 19-year-old winger has bags of talent, but will struggle for game time with Bukayo Saka as such a talismanic presence in the first team. Cozier-Duberry has been dubbed the next Saka in the past, but needs game time develop further.
Meanwhile, Arteta may well want Hein to remain at the club to continue in his capacity as third choice ‘keeper. The Estonia international served in that role this season.
With this late attempt to keep Walters, Cozier-Duberry, and Hein on the books, Arteta may well be trying to send a message to the wider academy that the opportunity for them to progress exists at Arsenal. However, he will have to back that up by affording some of the most impressive youngsters game time at senior level.