Over the years, Arsenal has been able to take satisfaction in having a remarkable crop of young players that have either made the club a fortune or excelled in the senior squad.

Even though Ashley Cole left the Gunners under dubious circumstances to join Chelsea, a rival team in London, back in 2006, he accomplished some amazing feats while playing for them.

During his time at Highbury, the left-back won three FA Cup medals and was a member of the Invincible team that won the Premier League in 2003–04.

Tony Adams, who played for his boyhood club for almost 20 years and made 669 appearances overall—second only to the legendary David O’Leary—was another important first-team player.

The now 58-year-old center-back won four top division medals with the Gunners, and his leadership helped the team reach new heights in the 1990s. To honor his playing career, a statue of him stands outside the North London stadium.

But in 2024, an academy star has excited the supporters, and rightfully so, following his introduction into Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup in recent months.

The tenure of Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal

Young Ethan Nwaneri, who joined Arsenal at the age of eight, could not have predicted how quickly he would become a household name at his boyhood club. Despite his youth, he is already making an impact at the senior level.

In recent months, the 17-year-old has shown skill far above his years, pushing himself into the Spaniard’s plans at the Emirates and hoping to follow in the footsteps of the many talents who have come through The Hale End Academy.

The midfielder holds the record for being the youngest-ever appearance maker in Premier League history, claiming his first minutes at the age of just 15 years and 181 days in the win over Brentford in the 2022/23 campaign.

However, over the last couple of years, the sensation has had to bide his time for another opportunity under Arteta – often featuring for the U21 side, before gaining his first real run under the Spaniard in recent months.

He’s already amassed nine appearances this time around, albeit with the majority coming from the bench, but he’s still made a huge impact on the pitch despite his limited minutes.

Nwaneri has registered four goals already in 2024/25, including a double in the Carabao Cup against Bolton Wanderers, before adding to his tally against Nottingham Forest over the weekend.

His strike off the bench at the Emirates was his first league goal for the Gunners, making him the second-youngest Premier League scorer in the club’s history – only narrowly behind the one and only Cesc Fàbregas.

However, despite his recent success in North London, he may have found game time even harder to come by had one other academy star stayed on the trajectory he was once predicted.

The individual who was the original Nwaneri for Arsenal

In contrast to players like Phil Foden, fellow midfielder Charlie Patino was another member of the club’s youth system with exceptional talent who was once widely expected to be an important member of Arteta’s squad at the Emirates.

Jack Wilshere was so full of potential that scout Sean O’Connor, who found him, declared: “Charlie is the best player who has ever walked through the doors at Hale End.” Excellent compliment, indeed.

But after making just two first-team appearances—including scoring a goal on his debut against Sunderland in the 2021 Carabao Cup—his career hasn’t yet reached the heights that many had anticipated.

Patino joined Blackpool and Swansea City on loan during two Championship stints in recent years, making a total of 72 appearances during each term and tallying 15 goals and assists overall.

Undoubtedly, such a figure is commendable for a young player establishing himself in the professional game, but the Gunners manager wasn’t impressed and he wasn’t able to push himself into the starting lineup before the current campaign.

The academy graduate, who was only 20, was sold during the most recent summer transfer window. The club took advantage of Patino’s contract predicament, since his North London term was about to expire in less than a year at the time of his departure.

He would join Spanish second-tier side Deportivo La Coruna for just £1m, with the club retaining a hefty sell-on fee from any future transfer funds generated should he succeed away from the Emirates.

A once-promising young sensation matching the potential he previously displayed upon his arrival with his boyhood attire is undoubtedly a sad sight.

Given his age, the midfield player still has plenty of time to improve his recent performance and make his previous employer regret their choice, but as of right now, he has shown no signs of doing so.

However, up to now, Patino has only featured for a total of 63 minutes in all competitions this season, once again struggling to make an impact in the professional game despite his fresh start in Europe.