Arsenal: Xavier Amaechi situation natural consequence of youth development

Young Arsenal starlet Xavier Amaechi is reportedly upset with Unai Emery after being left off the bench for the Europa League final. It is a shame, but it is a natural consequence of trying to develop young players. You cannot have them all.

In the recent iterations of the organisation, Arsenal have always been a club to prioritise the development of young players. It was a key characteristic of Arsene Wenger’s management, plenty of stars have come through the system at London Colney, and it will be a crucial aspect of the Unai Emery rebuild.

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It is a key focus of the fan base also. There is an added excitement when the team features players that have either come through the academy or been signed from a young age. Think of Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Emile Smith Rowe and Matteo Guendouzi, among others, this past season.

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The one thing that is critical for young players to develop into regular first-team contributors is opportunity, the chance to play on a regular basis for a senior team. Sitting in the reserves does not help.

This is why the loan system exists, and why Chelsea, for instance, have attempted to exploit it to their advantage. Using loans allows big clubs to send their many young players who would not be given many minutes with the senior to lower league teams where they can fight for more starts.

Ultimately, there are only so many starts that can go around, and that does mean that some players will not be happy with the hand they are dealt with — this is why Reiss Nelson commanded a loan last summer.

This weekend, it was revealed that it seems another young Arsenal player was upset with his opportunities. 18-year-old Xavier Amaechi is reportedly unhappy that Unai Emery did not name him to the Europa League bench, the only player in the travelling squad to do so. He has a year remaining on his contract and is considering other options amid interest from clubs around Europe, including Bayern Munich.

Would it be a shame if Arsenal were forced into selling Amaechi this summer because he is unwilling to sign a new contract? Yes, absolutely. It would be extremely reminiscent of Serge Gnabry, who refused to extend his contract and was sold for around £6 million. He is now worth four or five times that.

But it is also a natural consequence of amassing young talent and trying to bleed lots into the first team. If Amaechi was to play more frequently next season, let’s say, it would significantly restrict the playing options for other young attackers like Smith Rowe, Nelson and Bukayo Saka. Ultimately, Emery and Arsenal must choose one, and sometimes the players will make that choice for them.

Sadly, you lose young players because of opportunity. It happens. And it will happen increasingly so with the success of players like Jadon Sancho. It is a natural consequence of being a global game. Arsenal will just have to deal with it.