Arsenal's Hale End academy is a source of pride for the north London outfit after years of nurturing talent through the system to become first-team players. The current success of the senior squad has the blueprint of the youth squad throughout, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson all featuring regularly.
While they are the present and ideally the future of the club, the generation after them are embarking on their journey towards the top. In charge of guiding the next set of stars are players who have the Arsenal DNA embedded into them in academy manager Per Mertesacker and Jack Wilshere.
The latter took up a role as under-18s head coach and has managed well since taking the reigns after calling an end to his playing career. The former England international has brought the side through to the FA Youth Cup final that plays out later this month, a competition he won during his time at Hale End as a player.
