Scholarships and Girona training camp…

Morning all.

Arsenal FC have released a list of nine young players who have signed first-year scholarships. Perhaps the key player is Emerson Nwaneri who we all know is the younger brother of Ethan. Not only has he signed his scholarship but a professional contract too which automatically kicks in next August when he turns 17 years old. As others have suggested here, this deal is a good indication that brother Ethan is going nowhere this summer and if right, I’m really pleased. It’s all very well looking outside the club for talent and ready made superstars but I’d hate us to be a club who overlook our own in the process.

When Arsene Wenger used to suggest signing player x, y or z would block the career of younger players, I kind of agreed with him. The trouble back then though was our academy wasn’t producing genuine talent as it is today. Or at least that’s how it appeared to me. There were exceptions of course like Jack Wilshere but I don’t recall for example, players like Myles Lewis-Skelly, Max Dowman, Marli Salmon and Ethan Nwaneri coming through through the academy and certainly not within a few years of each other.

Back to Emerson Nwaneri who is an England Under-15 international, the midfielder who not only spent the second half of last season with Arsenal’s Under-18s but made his debut for the Under-21s and the Under-19s in the UEFA Youth League too so he’s playing above his age group already which is a good sign.

Arsenal’s other first-year scholars for the 2026-27 season include: Hakeem Abubakar (centre-back/left-back), Elyon Mbala (left-back), Daniel McCarron (centre-back), Jayden Oba (forward), Theo Odaji-Ukueko (midfielder), Angelinou Pedro (centre-back), Charlie Purdy (midfielder) and Joshua Sesay (winger).

Of course there’s a long way to go for these youngsters but before they know it, they will be wondering and desperately hoping that like Emerson Nwaneri, they too will be given a professional contract with the club. Much of that decision will be down to them. Work hard and stay grounded. A number of younger players have travelled to Spain with the senior players and thanks to Jeorge Bird, here is the list of all who could be in contention for Saturday’s game:

Theo Julienne, Ceadach O’Neill, Khari Ranson, Brayden Clarke, Demiane Agustien, Ismeal Kabia, Andre Harriman-Annous, Marli Salmon, Josh Ogunnaike and Louie Copley.

First-team players who have now returned to pre-season are: Riccardo Calafiori, Christos Tzolis, Kai Havertz, Piero Hincapie, Viktor Gyokeres, Christian Norgaard, Gabriel Jesus, Cristhian Mosquera, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jurrien Timber, Ben White, Fabio Vieira, Tommy Setford, Reiss Nelson, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman. I’m guessing both Kepa and Illan Meslier are in Spain although I didn’t spot the latter in the training photos on Arsenal.com.

I’d imagine, or at least I hope, by the time the transfer window closes, at least three players in the above list have moved on and at least two new names will have replaced them. John Stones wont be one of them as he’s apparently agreed a move to Inter Milan. As for Bruno Guimarães, Julian Alvarez and Vinicius Jnr, so much has been written about them but none of it is new and I doubt much of it is real either.. Mind you, I hope Arsenal do sign Bruno.

Catch up in the comments.