Giant central defender Kyle Bartley turned down the advances of Manchester City to join Arsenal from Bolton in the summer of 2007.

After coming through the Lancashire outfit’s Academy, Kyle caused controversy by deciding to quit instead of signing scholar forms. Manchester City and Arsenal both lodged bids yet a furious Bolton were refusing to allow the England youth international to leave for anything less than £950,000 compensation.

Liam Brady managed to broker a deal and in July 2007 Bartley made the move South. After featuring during the Atlanta Cup in pre-season, he suffered a broken ankle during training, and was naturally left frustrated. Three months of extensive rehabilitation followed before he was finally allowed to make his debut. He showed he was worth the wait and bagged his first goal in the 3-2 defeat to Ipswich weeks later.

Suspensions and further injuries hampered him as the campaign progressed, but he finished the season as a key part of Steve Bould’s Under 18 side, and made a handful of Reserve appearances. Despite all his problems, the athletic central defender signed professional terms in July 2008 and was an ever present over pre-season. Starts against both Crawley and Rushden and Diamonds paved the way for a first team call up away to Huddersfield Town. Kyle played the final minutes as the Gunners won the Herbet Chapman trophy.

It set him up perfectly for the 2008-2009 season where he lived up to the potential he’d shown as a schoolboy. The inspirational leader led from the back as Arsenal’s Under 18′s claimed the F.A Youth Cup in a convincing manner. He scored twice on the run to the final with headers against Tottenham and Manchester City standing out.

Bartley also became a crucial part of the Reserve team. He started every single second string game and was superb in his marking of strikers such as Didier Drogba and Roman Bednar. Arsène Wenger is known to be a massive fan of the rangy centre half who’s been tipped for a loan spell in the future.

Name: Kyle Bartley
Nickname: None
Age: 18
Nationality: English
International: Yes (Under 17)
Position: Centre Back
Height: 191cm
Previous Clubs: Bolton
Contract : Professional