Arsenal have embarked on a major recruitment drive at youth level recently and have started to blood more academy players.
There is excitement about the current crop of youngsters at the club and what they could achieve going into 2025.
Here, Standard Sport takes a look at three Arsenal youngsters to keep an eye on in 2025…
Ethan Nwaneri
The 17-year-old has broken into the first-team squad this season and now looks ready to show why he has been hyped up for so many years.
Nwaneri has predominantly played as a No8 for Arsenal, on the right of the midfield three, but Mikel Arteta believes he could end up elsewhere.
“Ethan can play as a right attacking midfielder, a left attacking midfielder,” said the Arsenal manager this month. “He can play as a right winger and there is another position I think he can develop into - No9.”
The prospect of Nwaneri becoming a striker is exciting, not least because it is an area that Arsenal need to strengthen in.
He played as a striker for Arsenal youth teams at times and was the Under-18’s No9 in their run to the FA Youth Cup Final in the 2022-23 season.
Nwaneri usually plays as a false nine when asked to lead the line and he came on upfront for the final few minutes of Arsenal’s win at Crystal Palace earlier this month.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
The 18-year-old is best friends with Nwaneri and the pair have come through Arsenal’s youth academy at the same time.
Nwaneri has always had more attention on him, but Arsenal are just as excited about Lewis-Skelly.
He, unlike Nwaneri, has started in the Premier League this season and performed well at left-back.
Lewis-Skelly actually came through Arsenal’s academy as a midfielder, but Arteta has long thought he could play full-back.
The Arsenal boss believes he has the ability to tuck into midfield from left-back, just like Oleksandr Zinchenko does, while he is also a big fan of the his attitude and physicality.
Lewis-Skelly may yet end up in midfield and coaches at Arsenal believe he can play as a No6 or No8.
But, with Arsenal suffering injuries at left-back this season and perhaps looking to sell Zinchenko next summer, Lewis-Skelly may stay at full-back for now.
Max Dowman
Still only 14, there is already a huge amount of hype around Dowman - who has trained with the first team numerous times this season.
The midfielder made his debut for Arsenal’s Under-18s last year when he was just 13 and has played in the UEFA Youth League this season.
Dowman became the youngest player ever to score in a UEFA Youth League game in September when he found the net during a 4-1 defeat to Atalanta.
He made his debut for England Under-17s that same month and scored by chipping his penalty down the middle.
Some news outlets have reported that Dowman could make his first-team debut this season, but next season may be more likely as the teenager will turn 16 then.
Fellow Arsenal academy graduate Nwaneri holds the record for being the youngest Premier League player ever after making his debut age 15 during the 2022-23 season.
