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As much as Arsenal supporters love a shinny new signing, very little brings Gooners more joy than a Hale End graduate making the breakthrough and starring in the first team.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka are the current first-team players to have made that jump, while 16 year old Max Dowman is expected to be a star. So, who could be next to follow in their footsteps? Well, we look at the top five youngsters currently in the academy.
Andre Harriman-Annous
A few of the players on this list have made their first-team debuts, now looking to establish themselves, one of which is Andre Harriman-Annous. The 18-year-old striker has twice featured at senior level this season, debuting from the start against Brighton in the Carabao Cup, before seeing a nine-minute cameo against Slavia Prague in the Champions League a week later.
Meantime, Harriman-Annous has been a prominent fixture across a variety of youth tournaments. He started the first three UEFA Youth League games, scoring four times in Premier League 2 to date, most-recently on target against Newcastle at Meadow Park on Friday night. The teenager also netted against Newport County at Rodney Parade in the EFL Trophy in September, suggesting he is ready for a lower-league loan, which could be the next step in his development.
Josh Nichols
Josh Nichols has just one senior appearance to his name thus far, seeking to work his way back into contention. This actually came almost 18 months ago, starting a Carabao Cup victory over Bolton Wanderers in September 2024, only included on the bench once during this campaign, an unused substitute against Club Brugge at Jan Breydelstadion.
The 19-year-old has, however, been a regular in Premier League 2, the UEFA Youth League, and the EFL Trophy. For Mikel Arteta to have started him as an 18-year-old, especially in defence, is a clear show of faith, so Nichols will believe a second Arsenal appearance is not too far away.
Marli Salmon
Want to feel old? Marli Salmon was born on 29 August 2009, the same day Arsenal were beaten 2-1 by Manchester United and Arsène Wenger was famously sent off by Mike Dean, before sticking his arms out as if to ask the referee, 'Where do you want me to go?' Well, despite being 16 years old, the centre-back has already appeared on three occasions for the first team this season.
His debut came against Club Brugge in December, just the third 16 year old to feature for the club in the Champions League, after Jack Wilshere and Dowman. A month later, he came off the bench at Fratton Park against Portsmouth in the FA Cup, the joint-youngest player to ever feature in the competition for a Premier League club, alongside Rio Ngumoha, who has the same birthday but a year apart.
The defender then featured in the subsequent round of the competition, replacing William Saliba during the second half of Sunday's 4-0 demolition of Wigan. Salmon is certainly the highest-rated of all players on this list, so expect to hear more about him in the coming years.
Evan Mooney
During an otherwise quiet January transfer window, Arsenal did scoop up two highly-rated youngsters, presumably with the idea that they'll be part of the first-team in the near future. Midfielder Evan Mooney arrived on St Mirren for a reported fee of £400,000, which could double with add-ons.
North of the border, the 18-year-old made 23 appearances for the Buddies, scoring his first senior goal against St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in the Scottish Premiership last season. Back in December, Mooney came off the bench towards the end of the League Cup Final at Hampden as the Saints upset the odds to defeat Celtic 3-1. Thus, he is one of the highest-rated young players in Scotland, and surely won't have moved to Arsenal unless he sees a pathway into the first team.
Jaden Dixon
Also arriving on deadline day of the winter window, Jaden Dixon joined from Stoke City for £500,000. Coincidentally, 38 years earlier, his namesake Lee Dixon arrived from Stoke for slightly less, £375,000.
He would go on to make 619 appearances for the club, only David O'Leary, Tony Adams and George Armstrong have more, winning 11 major honours, so Jaden would certainly love to replicate that; the pair are not related!
Jaden, a very tall centre-back, spent some of his youth career at Spurs, before making his senior debut in the Potteries, featuring six times at senior level, including starting all four of last season's EFL Cup ties. He has since debuted in Arsenal colours, featuring against Everton and Newcastle in PL2 in Boreham Wood, so could he be promoted to the first-team in the near future?