Arsenal have rewarded the progress of nine of clubs home grown prospects, by granting them scholarships for the coming season. A further three “bought in” players have also been given terms.
Liam Brady and David Court made the decisions last January, but all the parties involved took place in a photo-shoot at the Emirates last week. Although eight players have put pen-to-paper, Ahmed Abdulla was also offered terms, but failed to give an indication in time. Arsenal subsequently replaced him with Gillingham striker Luke Freeman. You can see a full list of the players awarded scholarship terms below.
The contracts state that the boys will en-role at a local college, meaning they will still gain an education despite being in training full time. They will now also receive a wage.
Home Grown Players
* Jack Wilshere
* Emmanuel Frimpong
* Cedric Evina
* Conor Henderson
* Oliver Nicholas
* Sam Byles
* Jason Banton
* Rhema Obed
* Roarie Deacon
New Signings
* Luke Freeman
* Ignasi Miquel
* Oguzhan Ozyakup
The photos of the presentation will be published in the official Arsenal magazine, sometime before the start of the season. You can read more about our new scholars in our Player Profile section.
Article By – J.Sanderson
First :) YEAH! this is good for the gooner
Good to see Wilshire on there, when will he be able to sign a professional contract?
J this is a great article
I was under the impression that Wilshere would be in the First Team next year because he was ahead of progress and had done so well in the reserves last season. Guess I was wrong.
Good to see Frimpong and Evina on there aswell cuz i liked what i saw of them. I liked Freeman aswell although theres a bit of work thats gotta be done on him, and ive seen next to nothing from the others yet (seen Henderson a couple of times but he hasnt really impressed yet).
Is that it for Rasmussen then? I thought he looked ok…
Maybe he still needs a full season in the reserves to keep developing physically etc. He only moved up towards the end of last season.
“I was under the impression that Wilshere would be in the First Team next year because he was ahead of progress and had done so well in the reserves last season. Guess I was wrong.”
Just cuz they gave him a scorlarship doesnt meen he wont be. From what i remember Wenger was talking about Carling Cup appearences and possible 5 year contracts once he turns 17. I believe Fabregas was only on a scolarship when he made his debut.
Scratch the Rasmussen comment, i didnt realise he’d been given one in January already…
has any1 been released then?
Ah, cheers for that Johnny Maverik. Our CC team next year is going to be freaking awesome! Hopefully, the kids will win it and wipe the smug looks off those pikeys from the Lane.
You have any idea how high their wages are?
Because i remember reading an article last year, which said Daley Blind(who refused to go to us) could earn 100.000 euro a year
Not many 16/17 year olds can play in a senior team and look comfortable so I dont expect many of them to play a part in the CC this season. Wilshere might but then again, he might not.
Nice article J.
Glad to see them gettin the scolarship deals.
How long do they usually run until they would be offered full time contracts or is it just as and when is necessary?
The scholarship contract is two years long, but the best players will be rewarded with pro terms a year in September.
Last year was the first time ever all our scholars signed pro, so big things expected.
I would’ve thought Benik Afoebe would be offered a scholarship, unless he already has one.
I’m really excited to see Wilshire on there. I think he has a good chance to feature in CC at the beginning of the season, and depending on how he progresses he could be pulled up for some more first team games towards the end. I have watch him in a few games and the way he passes, shoots and views the game is incredible for a kid his age. I’m sure this kid will be a start and it is nice to see him edge closer to being on professional terms with Arsenal.
who has been given the tin tak?
J, What do you think will happen to Henri Lansbury this coming season? Will he need another full year in the reserves having just come back from Gl Fever, or will he get any Carling Cup chances and be added to the first team squad?
Sanderson do you have any news about Patrick,the Brazilian striker from Sao Caetano?
Henri is back and full fit, but he has missed a full year os his development. He needs just to get playing again, and with Coquelin being signed, it will be tough. But he should get some CC time.
Patrik left Sao Caetano recently on loan, and was really impressive. Not sure if we will take up a further interest as yet.
Wasnt freeman and wilshere supposed to be given a professional contract???
Not yet. Arsenal have the right to take up the professional option in the contracts though.
They are far from being considered real Arsenal players yet, this is just the first step.
The Youth system works in three age groups, and only two ages groups can be here at a time.
Its usually.
17-18 – Reserves
16-17 – Under 18s
Currently we have…
18-19
17-18
16-17
So the older boys will be shipped out before the new boys can come in.
18-19 is the likes of Randall, Steer, Rodgers.
17-18 is Jay Thomas, Sanchez Watt (Last years scholars)
16-17 is this new crop.
Benik Afobe will be in nexts years group, he is currently in the 15-16 group which is still young.
i wonder hu wilshire played 4 b4 arsenal….KNEBWORTH da tram i play 4. Sum gd players we got comin thru tho
J, do you think we’ll continue to bid for Zapata and/or Diogo Luis Santos? Would the arrival of either imply the departure of another? How do you rate both of these players? Personally, I’d absolutely love us to sign Zapata.
JS any update on the samir nasri saga
c.harding please just stop on the nasri issue coz he gona be signed on 1st July. isn’t that right JS?
Another development is that, as of today, OM have officially signed Hatem Ben Arfa, clearing the way for Nasri to come to Arsenal.
Ya that’s good :) do you have a site? Trevor B
Not a football site, no :) But, I do have a soul music blog, if you like.
http://www.slowsoul.blogspot.com
Trevor if you wish a link swap, i will add your blog.
Try and keep matters to a Reserves and youth level, if you have anything to do with the first team then e-mail me.
Thank you trevor very kind yes :). any news on Arshavin?
J do you know when Nasri will sign
Pumpd – you just told somebody not to talk about Nasri, and now you are talking about him.
We discussed the latest on Nasri in the Vela article. I like most people jumped the Gun, and i used the sources i had, and i got it wrong.
I have got many other stories correct, but this time i was wrong. For that i am sorry, but its easy to forget the things i have done previously.
Sorry J. Arsenal look to win BPL :)
Finally looked through all the player profiles. Trying to pick them, I could see about 15 from J’s opinion that would make it at a Premiership level. And most seemed to be ones bought or midfielders. And all we ever talk about is Randall, Merida, et al. So J, what’s your verdict on our defenders? Why do you think it’s the ones we bought that are the most exciting, when other positions are creating potential stars? is it the obsession with technique and ball control, that doesn’t focus on defensive ability? Good story.
pumpd i can talk bout if i want lol
Interesting comments from Vincenzo Morabito, Adebayors agent. He says;
“Arsenal are looking for Adebayor’s replacement. Until that search is over, the negotiations won’t reach the final stage, but I am fairly optimistic,”
“What are the chances of Adebayor coming to Milan? I’d say today we are between 70 and 80 per cent.”
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/jun25p.html
ADebayor – if we really get any where near teh 30m – therey’re tlaking about ill drive him to milan or barca myself, but jsu tbe prepare if he goe si would fancy benzema to come in or eto’o,
also nasri haha signe da contract with arsenal – we al kno that but i reckon the next signing is ashavin – when has wenger so openley bigged up a baller! thats now our own player… he just wouldnt do it – i think hes triyn to lure the players head else where.
Samuel at the moment i dont think we have any exciting or promising home grown prospects in the system, but Miquel and Nordtveit are certainly interesting and promising.
why was benik afobe not offered a scolarship, isnt he 15 – the same age as banton, deacon and ozyakup?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-09BAIS-e_s&feature=related
unfortunately i think homegrown talent didn’t hv defensive sense as good as bought in talent(nordtveit n miguel). u can clearly see the different especially thier mental state. nordtveit was straight appointed as reserve captain even though there are more senior players like randall and landsbury. miguel thrown out of barca but bounce back as a better player. these bought in talent have tougher mental state to make it at the top level. its like university student, those from within the country feel at home n comfortable so they quite complacent but those come from outside more determine to success. until home grown talent can have the same mental toughness not many will make it to top level.
I think that all the players offered scholarship deals were either born in ´91 or ´92, where as Afobe is born in ´93. Steve Bould has also talked about the defensive side of the academy. He said that they didn´t focus much on defense until later, when they were 18 or 19. At first they are making them technically better before they go into positioning and stuff like that. So that might explain why we don´t notice as many very promising defenders coming through, at least not as much as all the technical midfielders, wingers and strikers that we got. But still, we got Nicholas and Byles as well as Bartley, Nordveit and Miguel.
JS, how do you think the U-18 starting line-up will look next year? I am no expert but I would guess something like this:
———–Sbea/Mann————
Byles–Bartley–Nicholas–Miguel
Deacon–Özyakup–Aneke–Henderson
———Afobe–Banton———-
It wouldn´t surprise me to see Coquelin only play for the Reserves and I don´t know if Frimpong will still play for the U-18 this season. Right midfield looks like a problem area but how good is Deacon? Wilshere will probably just be reserves, Rasmussen is getting too old but Eastmond might compete for the right midfield position. At the back there is a question about Bartley. Will he play for U-18. If he doesn´t, I can see Miguel play centre-back but I think Evina will be too old. Up front, Sunu is unlikely to play after getting a pro deal (right?). He might well play like Barazite this season, coming on at the end to finish off teams (can´t see Sunu finish anybody off though).
What do you say J?
Stone, i think you have that exactly right mate. Totally agree, and ive been really impressed with your knowledge and interest in the Reserves.
Thank you mate, I appreciate your words. It´s easy to be very interested when the subject is Arsenal.
I agree but it seems absurd to me. This is the same club that made the best two English centrebacks of the past 20 years (Keown and Adams) and is taught by an integral part of the Famous Back Four. I really don’t think technical ability is important in defenders either (well, full backs, sure, but that really isn’t our problem). The best CBs i’ve ever known, bar Toure, have all been natural to the position, muscleing (sp?) people off the ball, tackling, marking, heading not how well they can pass. If they can it’s just an added bonus.
I dunno, it just seems absurd that Bould can be partly responsible for 15 great attacking midfielders and no centre backs.
“I dunno, it just seems absurd that Bould can be partly responsible for 15 great attacking midfielders and no centre backs.”
Centre backs take longer than attacking players to show their worth and develope to first team level, perhaps only GKs take longer. True some start very early but very few, most arent ready until 19 and generally they will only take up regular first team football at the age of 21 (or in many cases later). So where as an attacking player can look great at 16 and ready to player as early as 18, a centre back wont be. We have a few good centre backs, none are ready yet, in my opinion not even Nordtveit (not for really meaningful first team contributions anyway, mabie a few minutes and maybe even a start in the CC).
Personally i always thought Matty Connolly would come through, i was wrong but i still think he would have been good enough. We will produce centre backs though, they just wont come as quick as the attacking players and their quality will be much harder to recognise. Its alot easier to forgive a midfeilder for not passing the ball and getting tackled than forgiving a center back missing a header and allowing a chance, and even the really good young centre backs will do that alot, so its harder to see them as first team players and recognise their quality, but they will get better.
Also note its alot easier for a midfield player to pass his way out of trouble and not loose the ball than it is for a centre back to make the right split second movement to clear the ball and prevent a chance. Gavin Hoyte and Paul Rodgers have both had some good games at centre back this season, but people tend to pick on some of their sloppy mistakes rather than highlight their good games. Nordtveit is unusually steady for his age and technically very gifted but even he has made mistakes. Its a case of being patient while we wait to see if and who come throuh in the defencive department. I will say however that ive been more impressed by some of the U18 defenders last season than those playing for the reserves, there again the reserve side had to deal with a much higher standard of compatition and quality of opponants.
Johnny: Yeah, you are right. Still, it the one place we seem to really suffer. Senderos and Djorou just aren’t viable candidates and there must be a reason. I know we are still in the early days of the new academy and colney, but our defensive training seems awful. I am kind of the opinion that AW is making sure the wengerball attitude is set up first and this comes next on his list of achievements. But if City can make a Richards and West Ham a Rio Ferdinand, it’s not impossible, especially in the hands of someone so great as Bould.
Be clear, I am not expecting a production line of a million great centre backs. But we can’t seemingly make 1 and doing so seems to be neglected. (Sure, it’s just I want something to moan about and refuse to do it on our transfers but…) the great CBs are usually the ones who shine through early (Adams, Campbell, Maldini, Richards, Rio all seem to spring to mind, I could keep going but i’d go crazy with lists) and we can’t do it. I guess this rant is in part due to my annoyance of Arsene’s comments regarding defensive transfer activity.
I am getting more and more excited about next season, i’ll have atvo and will be able to be more engaged with the reserves/u18s and the premiership looks even more exciting than last year (you know, we could win it and i believe it for once!). It just sucks it’s still months away. J, when are the olympics and do you know if they’ll have the football on english tele?
“when are the olympics and do you know if they’ll have the football on english tele?”
Sorry, once again im answering a question not directed at me but the Olympic football events will run from August 6th-23rd, it migth be on euro sport, but it most likely wont be on ITV or the BBC and i doubt Sky will cover it either since GB dont enter a side (or rather wont, although i know its complicated). It’ll also be broadcast all over the net so finding live streems should be hard atall, especially for the games involving bigger sides and the games later on in the tournament.
I agree with you about our faliure to produce great defenders, but i think Djourou and Sendaros and still come good, on Djourou’s part he hasnt really been given that much of a test so far and hes only 21, however next season is very much a case of last chance in my opinion for Sendaros.
As for producing i agree with you, we havent produced many quality centre backs, Djourou is the only one in the first team that can really be called an Arsenal product and he still hasnt proved himself (looked very poor at times for Birmingham last season). But we should just be patient and if no1 comes through from the current batch of reserve players then start asking questions.
Faliure to produce in recent years that is, we had some great centre backs come through pre-wenger, cant think of any while hes been in charge though (im probably missing some1 really obvious).
You also have to look at that the competition is much harder than it was at the time of Adams and Bould. Back then there were hardly any foreign players so there were twice as many spots for the same number of players to compete for. Now about half of the league is made up of foreigners so the other half that would have been playing in the EPL are playing in the Championship or some of the Football Leagues. So two decades ago, players like Connolly might well have made it into the top league but with fiercer competition they are short of that standard. That is not to make Adams and Bould look worse but I doubt that problem players like Merson would never make it at Wenger´s Arsenal with the extremely high level of competition that exists there.
Don´t forget though that we have Oliver Nicholas coming through. I have never seen him play but he is highly spoken of and is a many times youth international. He might well make it at Arsenal and that would be a fantastic achievement by him and everybody at London Colney. Maybe the academy is not doing bad with defensive talents but just doing so well with the offensive tealents that it looks bad in comparison.
Btw. JS, have you heard anything about why Wilshere was not in the U-17 group? Was he too good?
Breaking News – Arsenal are in for Peter Crouch to replace Adebayor. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…………
Maybe the academy is not doing bad with defensive talents but just doing so well with the offensive tealents that it looks bad in comparison.
–
I think this may have a lot to do with it. I mean, in the past ten years, the only (non-bought) genuine prospects have been Cole and I guess Pennant, Sidwell and Bentley. Well, the only to achieve (kinda) regular Premiership football. It’s why the overhaul was needed and it’s just great that we are producing anything at all. And it is still a very new process, we are only getting the first batch start to come through, so maybe they can learn from their mistakes for current 9 year olds looking to be the next Sol. It does seem like a process when you have to learn from your mistakes.
Although you’d think most clubs would be in a similar position regarding youth development, which is crazy seeing how bad it is at most places. With the Premiership money really starting to go crazy around the turn of the decade, teams started to have enough money for transfer market domination, you’d think they’d stick a little in producing great talent.
Stone: Yeah, I kinda agree with you. And if Sepptic Bladder gets his way we may have a team full of Connolly’s but if AW, a manager who regularly selects Senderos, thinks he’s not good enough, then I guess he just isn’t. Again I repeat, I hope the academy learnt from their mistakes on that one as to why he didn’t turn good.
J, Johnny, Stone: Cheers for humouring me, it’s great to have a proper discussion about Arsenal for once in such a silly season.
Aw Bo Derrick, LOLOLOLOL Silly Season is like a crazy friend addicted to pain killer who wants to join the circus. We love him, but you always remember to take a tazer when you meet up for a pint.
Off Topic.
– Who thinks we should give in to the salary demands of Adebayor and pay him as much or allmost as much as he wants?!!
– Who thinks we shouldn’t and sell him for 30 million euros? (which to me is still a bargain considering other amounts payed for the best footballers in the world)
Re: Adebayor “Vincenzo Morabito” is NOT his agent. He is a gobshite shitstirrer. Check Arseblog.com who explains it better.
J. Can you point me in the right direction or do you have a list of all the young players that have been on the Arsenal books over the past 4 years?
Thanks
i prey arsenal do not make a move for lanky peter crouch what a waiste, ill rather have david villa or roque santa cruz. crouch=lanky/sh*t
Harding: That you are even considering it means the terrorists have won.
“i prey arsenal do not make a move for lanky peter crouch what a waiste”
I dont think we have to worry about that. I still think its disgusting what Liverpool a doing to him thou, cuz hes not a terrible player. They never play him and then they wont sell him unless some1 offers twice what hes worth. Let the lad go Rafa…
let him go but not to us, don’t want the gunners reverting to the long ball route
Lads dont forget how good a scoring record big Crouchy has against us. I think i might be the only person who thinks he would be a good addition if big Sampson goes!
“Lads dont forget how good a scoring record big Crouchy has against us. I think i might be the only person who thinks he would be a good addition if big Sampson goes!”
You probably are mate. Hes a good player but he doesn’t garentee consistency and thats why he doesn’t make the Liverpool side and thats why we would be interested in him. Plus they want around 15mil for him, which is ridiculous.
I’m just really pissed that Benitez is saying he wants 15mil for Crouch and 10mil for Carson, two players he obviously doesn’t want much other wise they’d be fixtures in his first team and not a back-up striker and a keeper who’s spent more time away from Liverpool than with them. I mean 5mil for Carson and 9mil for Crouch seems like a fair deal to me and thats what Villa and Portsmouth are willing to pay, get the money, spend it wisely and you can get in 3 players better than both of them (just imagine what Wenger could do 14mil extra considering thats more than what we payed for Toure, Sagna and Eduardo combined). Plus Crouch and Carson can go on to have good careers at clubs where they’ll get played and Benitez wont have to pay their wages anymore. But no he has to be stubborn and stick to over the top valuations for players he doesn’t even use nor probably want which is driving sides away from them and probably messing up their potentially bright careers.
wouldn’t be interested in him***
You are incorrect in stating Jason Banton will be a first year scholar this coming season.
Jason will still be 15 when 2008/09 season starts and only players who have turned 16 are taken on as first year scholars.
In recent seasons a number of players like Wilshere, Murphy and Lansbury were treated like first year scholars a year ahead of actually becoming scholars.
So Murphy and Lansbury were training every day during 2006/07 season even though they only became scholars in 2007/08 season. The same thing with Wilshere as well last season.
As Banton is a top talent Arsenal might do the same with him if his scholl allows and train every day. But he’ll still have to wait to find out if Arsenal are to offer him scholarship forms for 2009/10 season.
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