Arsenal: And Jeff Reine-Adelaide is still yet to come

Arsenal’s youth ranks are starting to tiptoe closer to the first team. And just think, big Jeff, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, is still yet to return to the picture.

While watching Reiss Nelson break ankles and Ainsley Maitland-Niles look the complete wingback, I let myself get carried away in the excitement of Arsenal’s youth system. Even Joe Willock, who is new to the scene, was strong in his displays.

Then you have to think about the goal fiend Eddie Nketiah too. There is so much going on, so much coming up through the ranks, that it’s almost even more exciting than the prospect of spending triple digits on Thomas Lemar.

That’s when I remembered the first name that had been on everyone’s lips when discussing the academy just a year ago – Jeff.

Or, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, if you aren’t into this one name stuff.

Jeff Reine-Adelaide is only just now returning from his fairly significant injury that he suffered towards the end of last year and yet the youth system has carried on in his absence. Reine-Adelaide suffered an ankle injury to miss out on the close of last season and he has only recently returned to the U23 set up, making four starts of the six matches played while still fighting the lingering injury.

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Reine-Adelaide is still capable of becoming a huge deal for the Gunners and, once he returns to full health, it would be shocking to see him not included in the first-team’s exploits in side competitions.

He was, after all, the top youngsters involved in these competitions last year and, for the most part, he showed us exactly what he could do.

The young Frenchman is an incredibly cool customer, capable of confidently whittling through defenses with his slick dribbling and clever passing. He is pegged to be an assist master when he makes that final leap into the first team and, seeing as how he is already listed as a first-teamer, his inclusion in the squad is not that far off.

Which is convenient, because, assuming Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil do leave, there will be opportunities aplenty for guys like Reine-Adelaide to assert themselves. This is Arsene Wenger, remember, who will always prefer a young Frenchman to an actual signing.

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Not just that, but in the wake of the superstars’ departures, Wenger has shown more willingness to let other players have a crack at those two positions and while Reine-Adelaide is certainly behind the likes of Jack Wilshere, there is always room for one more.

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