A new superstar is emerging out of Europe. Bayern Munich striker Mathys Tel became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer at just 17 years and 136 days as he opened the scoring against Stuttgart in what would be a 2-2 draw.
Arsenal themselves have had one of the youngest sides in the Premier League for the last few years as Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu overhauled the squad structure. However, whilst Bayern have had the chance to play the likes of Tel and others such as Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies, English sides don’t get the same luxury unless the player is of an exceedingly high level.
Even Bukayo Saka was not getting regular minutes in his natural wide area until he was 19. Tel at 17 is starting for the Bundesliga Champions after Julian Nagelsmann’s side invested a total €28.5m (~£25m) in the Stade Rennes forward.
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He had only played 49 minutes of Ligue 1 football but had been identified as one of the most exciting forwards coming out of what has become a mecca for the best young talent in the world these past few years. Arsenal have worked to sign exciting young talents like Gabriel Martinelli and, more recently Marquinhos.
Yet the Bundesliga gives Bayern Munich an advantage with developing their best youngster in-house that the Premier League does not afford the Gunners. Bayern have won the previous ten titles in Germany with two trebles in that time and three doubles.
Whilst Manchester City have been dominant over the past five years, the English top flight remains a place where even Pep Guardiola’s side have had to ease just one major young talent through in the form of Phil Foden. Arsenal have had to send their finest talents away on loan to get them the game time they need because they cannot afford to give them league minutes.
The likes of Folarin Balogun, Charlie Patino and Brooke Norton-Cuffy, all rated very highly, would simply not have been able to get the same opportunities as, say, Tel has for Bayern. The Bavarians can use the exciting talent, knowing the overriding quality they have over the majority of their league opponents gives them that edge to blood more youth.
Ajax are another great example. Yes, the talent coming through the Amsterdam club has been unbelievably strong, however, like Bayern, they can afford to play these young stars in a league they dominate.
Without coming across now like this is a bash on both the Bundesliga and the Eredivisie when it isn’t, Arsenal have done well to develop players away from the Emirates. The two loan spells with Nice and Marseille have seen William Saliba become one of the best young defenders on the planet, now ready to start for Mikel Arteta’s side.
All the young stars of the early 2010s like Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song went on loan to other English sides before being integrated into Arsene Wenger’s squad. With the competitiveness of the Premier League, Wenger was simply not afforded that same luxury Bayern have had over the years, and that continues today for Arteta.
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