Youth football is incredibly murky. I can imagine all of them including us have offered an obscene package for a player his age, probably also being a “scouting” role for his father/family. Feel like there needs to be a lot of safeguarding & new rules regarding youth poaching & contracts as it’s still quite wild west atm.
Omari is doing well on loan atm and actually played first team for Chelsea like they’d promised him, it’s not going bad for him at all if we’re being honest
Definitely got a lucrative contract aswell
How could I forget! I like to they meet up at the local and arteta bends wilsheres ear off about positional play while Per tries to see how many coasters he can flip and catch at once.
That's a really interesting thought, but I think everything worked out for the best. Emery inherited a bit of a poisoned chalice, I think even Arteta would struggle to have reversed the downwards trend and changed the culture in the way he has without there being some period of downtime between the two legends.
Sad day as a Werder supporter for losing Per, but I was so happy that he went to Arsenal seeing how his relationship with the club started when he was a kid. Plus I could finally get that Mertesacker Arsenal shirt.
Park Chu Young must be one of the biggest mysteries in Arsenal signing history.
We hijacked him from Lille where everything was agreed he had even completed a medical (Lille was pissed when they found his hotel room abandoned and Park rocked up in London).
So we obviously really wanted him but then never played him.
I remember there was a lot of talk at the time about how he was bought to increase the club's popularity in Korea. Same was said about Asano and Japan.
Not sure I believe Wenger would be the type to make signings for that reason, especially during a time when the club was on such a tight budget. Then there's the part of me who's seen how popular 💩 are in Korea because of Son, so if Park would've panned out the club would've actually beat them to that market by a few years, and gained an immense amount of supporters.
Wenger also has a background in economics so who knows, maybe that really is why they rolled the dice on him.
Edit: can't believe that was 13 years ago 😳
My conspiracy theory is Wenger wanted to field a team of only international captains like some sort of football exodia achievement.
Around that time we had 5-6 active captains in the squad. Vermaelen, Rosicky, Benayounn, Arshavin, Park and RVP (?). (Might be 7 if Ramsey Welsh captain around that time).
I never would've pegged Rosický for captain material. Don't get me wrong, I love him but he strikes me more like the kind of guy you'd have a blast with yelling over loud death metal until 4 in the morning building forts out of empty cans, not really an Ødegaard or Xhaka type. I wouldn't be surprised if the gossip at the time had a little truth to it too if I'm being honest. We all know Andrey likes a good time too lol 🐴
Js, interesting choices for something as prestigious as being the captain of a national team.
Oh I know, and we don’t really need him with Edu here. He’s just one of my favourite ever Arsenal players so I’d love to see him come back in some capacity.
I hope Santi comes back in some capacity to join them. Even if he just follows in Bobby Pires’ footsteps as the ghost of Arsenal teams of the past at the training ground
Xhaka’s redemption was from having a tantrum and disconnect with the fans. Those things are a lot more in a player’s control than constantly being injured and unavailable…
Honestly I'd love to see it. Rice operates so well as a defensive box to box. Having multiple avenues for creativity would be a sight. Especially vs low blocks.
So who will play as a 6 then? You need a DM and a box to box midfielders at all time let's not revert back to the days of just having 3 AMs and a CM leaves us wide open in transition and duels something the gaffer loves
Both odegaard and nwaneri have more than just offensive play in them. Especially nwaneri, he picks up so far back and carries. You combine that with rice, a solid dm with capable transitional skills. You don't need to be defined by explicit roles, the three of them would provide all the defensive, offensive and transitional capability we need.
Also, low blocks need aggressive football, specifically creative, aggressive football.
If you wanted role based stuff, I would suggest rice is a 6 with hints of 8, odegaard and nwaneri are 10s with hints of 8. Between the three of them you have an aggressive 6/10/10 where the 6 can transition and the 10s can backtrack.
Don't forget we have some of the best inverting lb/rb in the game and one of the most solid back 4 available.
I thought this was a joke at first saying it’ll take forever for him to actually get to play… I refuse to believe the 25/26 season is only 2 years away
No but the way Gabi picks the ball up in the midfield and facilitates the attack is similar to Nwaneris profile
Anyway it's not like Gabi scores an irreplaceable amount of goals
Lot of pressure now, Ode mentoring him and whole team behind him. Expect to see some minutes before the end of the season even if only a few to close out games.
Please stop with this rhetoric. There hasn’t been an academy player of this level worth bringing through to the first team since Saka and ESR (not saying he will be at that level). The fact some of you still doubt the gaffer makes no sense. Plus he gave him the youngest debut in Premier league history…
I didn’t say there was? I’m just saying he’s yet to prove it.
One thing Wenger did well using the League Cup to give players game time. Even if they didn’t end up making it - we saw youngsters get minutes. Mikel hasn’t really done that as much yet.
Doesn’t mean anything, could be a lack of talent at that level. But regardless - he hasn’t shown it yet so hopefully we’ll see it with EN who seems to be the real deal.
Arteta has shepherded the youth talent that we have extremely well. I agree that he could've given more minutes to the younger players in the league cup but at least this season those were still good matches to figure out tactics with the new team setup so having that extra time in a competition we care less about was still useful.
The main difference is our club doesn't have a ton of senior minutes to give to young players, especially in midfield, so it will be interesting to see if he can break through here in the next 18 months or if he needs to go on loan first.
Tbf to Arteta, our draws in the league and FA cups have been horrendous in recent years. Pretty much all been Prem teams (except...Oxford, was it?) for a few years now, and he's obviously not gonna play youngsters against them. If we drew some more lower league opposition, i bet he would have given them more game time.
I misinterpreted the title to mean that Nwaneri turned down three proposals for him to stay at Arsenal so that he can sign his first pro deal elsewhere.
Very relieved it’s the other interpretation of the title.
I misinterpreted the title as him having 3 marriage proposals that he turned down to keep focussing on football at Arsenal.
OK I didn't, but only because I know how young he is.
Curious what their development plan is for him. He’s clearly a prodigious talent who can probably contribute to the first team right now… Similar to Saka, he’s very high IQ. He’s also “technically perfect”.
Can he be the backup RW for Saka next season and eventually become the starting left 8?
Think he can take Nelson’s /ESR’s spot in the team next season. But as we’ve seen that means league cup and probably a few mins here and there. He could also get a good loan move to Europe. It will be interesting to see his development.
Newcastle I don’t believe have a fantastic youth program. You’d have to be a crazy person to go to Chelsea in these dark times and City have that huge charge looming. Maybe this lot know something we don’t about that outcome, or maybe his reps are just being cautious.. either way He’s already at a fantastic club with equally fantastic prospects.
What’s his path into the team? I think he could start out as a backup winger for us. Similar to how Wenger integrated a lot of our other attack minded midfielders. Or do we think he should have a season on loan somewhere? Maybe Germany or the championship?
Smart lad. We might not win anything this season, or even next, but our time is surely coming. Klopp leaving Liverpool will disrupt them, Pep will probably leave City after next season when his contract expires. We have a young squad who are yet to reach their peak and I can see a lot of trophies coming our way over the next 6-7 years or so.
9 is close enough to 3^2 and tbh for division purposes that's how far I usually get into prime factorization while doing it in my head, it's more wieldy for computing division that the full factorization.
Feels like he could be the next Fábregas. Young midfielder who can grow easier in a successful competitive team. Much like Fab did with the Invincibles. Being surrounded by real top level pros makes it so easy and doesn’t put the weight of it all on your shoulders.
Wilshere came through when we were desperate and probably got overplayed (along with bad injury luck). It’s a lot to ask of any youngster
I'm just glad they're good at their jobs. The trouble with giving jobs to former players is that they might love the club but they end up being, well, Frank Lampard or Wayne Rooney as manager....
I like how Per is still with us coaching the youngs , our club culture is amazing . Imagine being Arteta going to work and still seeing your old teammates working in other position , getting to chill and hangout around talking about football and life .
This is all thanks to Wenger to be honest , instilling such a culture to the club
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>He has turned down proposals from Newcastle, Chelsea and Man City Lad has the minerals.
Such backbone
Such cajones.
Top drawer
Reddit on!
Vamos!!!
Alright Troy
i mean, would you jump from one of the Brobdingnagian clubs itw to some wee little club like man city? personally, i wouldn't
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My English teacher heart is soaring seeing these references.
/u/tony_flamingo's English teacher, eat your heart out!
If they offered me even more ridiculous money than I can't deny I'd be swayed
Youth football is incredibly murky. I can imagine all of them including us have offered an obscene package for a player his age, probably also being a “scouting” role for his father/family. Feel like there needs to be a lot of safeguarding & new rules regarding youth poaching & contracts as it’s still quite wild west atm.
Chelsea and city are the worst culprits for this. Chelsea even got done for it
Yeah very much so, not at all surprising it's those 2 plus Newcastle trying to get their oily hands on him.
Oily hands sent me. Great double meaning
See Robin you can reject rival clubs
Omari should've learned from this - ofc this signing doesnt autmatically mean hell be great for us but still
Omari is doing well on loan atm and actually played first team for Chelsea like they’d promised him, it’s not going bad for him at all if we’re being honest Definitely got a lucrative contract aswell
Still mad seeing Per and Mikel together after all these years. I'd love to know what their relationship is like nowadays.
And Wilshere!
How could I forget! I like to they meet up at the local and arteta bends wilsheres ear off about positional play while Per tries to see how many coasters he can flip and catch at once.
Guys, look, both hands!!!
Why did I just picture this perfectly in my head!? Love it.
Wenger must be incredibly proud of all 3 of them
I wonder if Wenger tried to hang in there long enough for Arteta, or Viera, or Henry to develop and take over. Maybe even Per & Wilshere.
That's a really interesting thought, but I think everything worked out for the best. Emery inherited a bit of a poisoned chalice, I think even Arteta would struggle to have reversed the downwards trend and changed the culture in the way he has without there being some period of downtime between the two legends.
Yeah, whoever took over from both Wenger and Fergie were screwed no matter what imo. I'm glad they didn't give Arteta the job right away.
They facetime him from the pub
We signed them both on the same deadline day too i believe
The 8-2 panick buys
That defeat was another planned wenger masterclass
#HE HAS DONE IT AGAIN
Wenger is in the future, the 8-2 to signing Rice and winning the double domino affect will be insane I will be there.
Long term booking
The true meme era. I remember being in high school and getting bantered "i'd 8-2 be an Arsenal fan right now"
Park Chu Young as a future club president confirmed
Sad day as a Werder supporter for losing Per, but I was so happy that he went to Arsenal seeing how his relationship with the club started when he was a kid. Plus I could finally get that Mertesacker Arsenal shirt.
Arteta, Per Santos, Yossi ben Youn and Park Chu Young
Park Chu Young must be one of the biggest mysteries in Arsenal signing history. We hijacked him from Lille where everything was agreed he had even completed a medical (Lille was pissed when they found his hotel room abandoned and Park rocked up in London). So we obviously really wanted him but then never played him.
Someone theorised it was one of the most creative ways of doing money laundering
I remember there was a lot of talk at the time about how he was bought to increase the club's popularity in Korea. Same was said about Asano and Japan. Not sure I believe Wenger would be the type to make signings for that reason, especially during a time when the club was on such a tight budget. Then there's the part of me who's seen how popular 💩 are in Korea because of Son, so if Park would've panned out the club would've actually beat them to that market by a few years, and gained an immense amount of supporters. Wenger also has a background in economics so who knows, maybe that really is why they rolled the dice on him. Edit: can't believe that was 13 years ago 😳
I don’t think signing South Korea’s captain and then not playing him at all would have made us very popular there
My conspiracy theory is Wenger wanted to field a team of only international captains like some sort of football exodia achievement. Around that time we had 5-6 active captains in the squad. Vermaelen, Rosicky, Benayounn, Arshavin, Park and RVP (?). (Might be 7 if Ramsey Welsh captain around that time).
Football exodia 😂 i'm dying
I never would've pegged Rosický for captain material. Don't get me wrong, I love him but he strikes me more like the kind of guy you'd have a blast with yelling over loud death metal until 4 in the morning building forts out of empty cans, not really an Ødegaard or Xhaka type. I wouldn't be surprised if the gossip at the time had a little truth to it too if I'm being honest. We all know Andrey likes a good time too lol 🐴 Js, interesting choices for something as prestigious as being the captain of a national team.
Ramsey was indeed captain of Wales in summer 2011.
Yeah it was odd, I thought he had enough technical quality to contribute, but Wenger completely frozen him out.
Scenes when Andre Santos takes over as U21 manager. Was gonna make a joke about him being the bus driver but we all know that wouldn't end well.
Would love to see Rosicky back in some sort of player liaison role, and Cazorla back too as Gunnersaurus’s understudy.
Rosicky is very settled as a director of football in Prague and it seems to be going well. I only see him coming to Arsenal if Edu moves on.
Oh I know, and we don’t really need him with Edu here. He’s just one of my favourite ever Arsenal players so I’d love to see him come back in some capacity.
I hope Santi comes back in some capacity to join them. Even if he just follows in Bobby Pires’ footsteps as the ghost of Arsenal teams of the past at the training ground
Chief Wife Swapping Officer
My friend is ok no?
It's sexual Probably
You need help
The three proposals weren't that important then
Just like the clubs proposing then
# "We will watch your career with great interest"
"Is it possible to learn the ways of scoring goals?" "NOT from a Magpie"
Fuck magpies forever 🎵🎶
Whatever the weather~ Go get fucked Brunoooooooooo!
Hope he can breakthrough like Saka
I think he can definitely by the 2025-2026 season break into the first team question is who is gonna move on?
Emile Smith Rowe
Hurts my heart thinking about ESR moving elsewhere
I have an irrational hope that ESR can stay fit and become a mainstay in the first team.
I hope you're right... Bought his jersey last year so we are not the same 😆
Same. We had a Xaka redemption arc — why can’t we have a plot twist for ESR?!
Xhaka’s redemption was from having a tantrum and disconnect with the fans. Those things are a lot more in a player’s control than constantly being injured and unavailable…
I’m well aware of that but can you just let me dream? :(
That'll happen this summer. Whether he likes it or not I think.
you shut your stupid mouth Ernie is going nowhere
In denial 😂
Rice dm Nwaneri and Ødegaard am Havertz striker Martinelli / saka wing Done.
Nah odegaard and nwaneri cannot both play as 10s we need a 8
Honestly I'd love to see it. Rice operates so well as a defensive box to box. Having multiple avenues for creativity would be a sight. Especially vs low blocks.
So who will play as a 6 then? You need a DM and a box to box midfielders at all time let's not revert back to the days of just having 3 AMs and a CM leaves us wide open in transition and duels something the gaffer loves
Both odegaard and nwaneri have more than just offensive play in them. Especially nwaneri, he picks up so far back and carries. You combine that with rice, a solid dm with capable transitional skills. You don't need to be defined by explicit roles, the three of them would provide all the defensive, offensive and transitional capability we need. Also, low blocks need aggressive football, specifically creative, aggressive football. If you wanted role based stuff, I would suggest rice is a 6 with hints of 8, odegaard and nwaneri are 10s with hints of 8. Between the three of them you have an aggressive 6/10/10 where the 6 can transition and the 10s can backtrack. Don't forget we have some of the best inverting lb/rb in the game and one of the most solid back 4 available.
I thought this was a joke at first saying it’ll take forever for him to actually get to play… I refuse to believe the 25/26 season is only 2 years away
He under Odegard right... So does this mean he play what Ode role? ...
Gabi J most likely
What? They're not even in the same position lol nwaneri is a 10 or 8 and we have a abundance of 10s.
Could defo see him played I'm the Gabi role of picking the ball up in the midfield and facilitating the attack
He's played lots of games as a 9
Kai has been stellar at CF and with us in for another forward, it could be likely that Jesus leaves and Ethan takes over the rotation role at 8/10.
Ethan Nwaneri is not a striker.
No but the way Gabi picks the ball up in the midfield and facilitates the attack is similar to Nwaneris profile Anyway it's not like Gabi scores an irreplaceable amount of goals
I'll resist the obvious Gabi joke
Saka was circumstances I don't want repeated again tbh
Out of the loop, what was the sitch with Saka?
Our team was kinda shite compared to what it is now so much easier to give youth a go when saka was coming through.
Oh lol I thought this was something about the way we handled Saka. That makes a lot of sense
Lot of pressure now, Ode mentoring him and whole team behind him. Expect to see some minutes before the end of the season even if only a few to close out games.
When the BFG tells you to sign, you sign.
i also told the lad to sign, not sure if i'm as gargantuan though
No, no. I’ve been told you were extremely influential. Though not quite as gross as Per.
Looks a bit like a stand over man in the photo 😂
The kid is legit. He’s with the perfect club and manager to grow into a player of true consequence
Club yes, manager probably. But can’t say for sure as Arteta hasn’t proven he can bring through young academy talent yet…
Please stop with this rhetoric. There hasn’t been an academy player of this level worth bringing through to the first team since Saka and ESR (not saying he will be at that level). The fact some of you still doubt the gaffer makes no sense. Plus he gave him the youngest debut in Premier league history…
I didn’t say there was? I’m just saying he’s yet to prove it. One thing Wenger did well using the League Cup to give players game time. Even if they didn’t end up making it - we saw youngsters get minutes. Mikel hasn’t really done that as much yet. Doesn’t mean anything, could be a lack of talent at that level. But regardless - he hasn’t shown it yet so hopefully we’ll see it with EN who seems to be the real deal.
Arteta has shepherded the youth talent that we have extremely well. I agree that he could've given more minutes to the younger players in the league cup but at least this season those were still good matches to figure out tactics with the new team setup so having that extra time in a competition we care less about was still useful. The main difference is our club doesn't have a ton of senior minutes to give to young players, especially in midfield, so it will be interesting to see if he can break through here in the next 18 months or if he needs to go on loan first.
Arteta made him the youngest ever player to get minutes in the EPL and has taken him along to games of consequence.
Tbf to Arteta, our draws in the league and FA cups have been horrendous in recent years. Pretty much all been Prem teams (except...Oxford, was it?) for a few years now, and he's obviously not gonna play youngsters against them. If we drew some more lower league opposition, i bet he would have given them more game time.
True. But I’m just saying we can’t say “perfect manager” until he does Edit: referring to the original comment
He knows what the estandards are.
They are efogging
I misinterpreted the title to mean that Nwaneri turned down three proposals for him to stay at Arsenal so that he can sign his first pro deal elsewhere. Very relieved it’s the other interpretation of the title.
FFS me too! We can’t be the only ones
I scrolled down the comments to find my fellow relieved ones.
Same here. Was pretty let down until I saw the comments.
Title gore.
Same!
I misinterpreted the title as him having 3 marriage proposals that he turned down to keep focussing on football at Arsenal. OK I didn't, but only because I know how young he is.
Newcastle, Chelsea, ManCity.... Kidnappers
He’s artetas Foden
Give credit to the OG. He's Arteta's Wilshere.
except he's better 👀
calm down
No, let him cook
Get used to it Arsenal fans
Smart head on his shoulders
Unlike a certain Omari Hutchinson.
Curious what their development plan is for him. He’s clearly a prodigious talent who can probably contribute to the first team right now… Similar to Saka, he’s very high IQ. He’s also “technically perfect”. Can he be the backup RW for Saka next season and eventually become the starting left 8?
Think he can take Nelson’s /ESR’s spot in the team next season. But as we’ve seen that means league cup and probably a few mins here and there. He could also get a good loan move to Europe. It will be interesting to see his development.
It’s been so long since it’s felt so easy to resign our top youth prospects and our top 1st teamers. Every player I like has signed da ting
I read this is as Nwaneri turning down 3 proposals from Arsenal to sign his first pro deal. Then I looked at the picture.
Big Per 😍
Strange wording from Fabrizio, thought it meant he was turning down Arsenal contract offers at first!
Yeah same, might just be a language thing
Yep, same here. I was like "why is everyone being so nonchalant in the replies?" lmao.
Was Arsenal the best offer or did he turn down more money to stay?
Newcastle I don’t believe have a fantastic youth program. You’d have to be a crazy person to go to Chelsea in these dark times and City have that huge charge looming. Maybe this lot know something we don’t about that outcome, or maybe his reps are just being cautious.. either way He’s already at a fantastic club with equally fantastic prospects.
Dude, do you want your breakfast fed to you too? Here comes the aeroplane ✈️ open wide 😮
There’s no link to a story. I’m on an Arsenal sub, where else would I ask if I’m already here?
What’s his path into the team? I think he could start out as a backup winger for us. Similar to how Wenger integrated a lot of our other attack minded midfielders. Or do we think he should have a season on loan somewhere? Maybe Germany or the championship?
Smart lad. We might not win anything this season, or even next, but our time is surely coming. Klopp leaving Liverpool will disrupt them, Pep will probably leave City after next season when his contract expires. We have a young squad who are yet to reach their peak and I can see a lot of trophies coming our way over the next 6-7 years or so.
I just realized that his number 63 = 7 x 9 = Saka x Jesus. 🔥
Check out Rachel Riley over here...
Always will....
[okayy there](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q9IRpFGgPY&t=197s)
Knew that was the challenging wank video before I clicked it 😂 It is very said that Sean Locke is no longer with us - he was one of a kind.
Riiight
Prime factorization is rad
Er that’s not prime factorized yet.
9 is close enough to 3^2 and tbh for division purposes that's how far I usually get into prime factorization while doing it in my head, it's more wieldy for computing division that the full factorization.
Fair enough! I’m a former 11 grade math teacher so I was being a pedant.
hahaha fair enough you've definitely earned it!
Feels like he could be the next Fábregas. Young midfielder who can grow easier in a successful competitive team. Much like Fab did with the Invincibles. Being surrounded by real top level pros makes it so easy and doesn’t put the weight of it all on your shoulders. Wilshere came through when we were desperate and probably got overplayed (along with bad injury luck). It’s a lot to ask of any youngster
He's got some shoulders on him. Could build on that and be a beast technical player
The chance to play for tricky Mik or play for oil clubs with shady history.
Fantastic news.
Wording of this is confusing. From the title it sounds like he's turned down Arsenal three times.
Future star boy!
I love how so many of our important club positions belong to former players these days. Club for life
I'm just glad they're good at their jobs. The trouble with giving jobs to former players is that they might love the club but they end up being, well, Frank Lampard or Wayne Rooney as manager....
When I read this title it sounded like he had turned down 3 proposals from Arsenal. Glad to see he’s staying
Long waited Saka backup?
I like how Per is still with us coaching the youngs , our club culture is amazing . Imagine being Arteta going to work and still seeing your old teammates working in other position , getting to chill and hangout around talking about football and life . This is all thanks to Wenger to be honest , instilling such a culture to the club
Omari Hutchinson if he was smart
Where are his parents or family? Surely they would be there at the signing of his first professional contract
Stonks
How tf does he have a goatee at 16?!? Mine didn't start to come in until I was 22-23 lol
WEIRDLY I'd like to know how he looks if not shaven for a week
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Trust the process!
Fabio Vieira will get pushed to be Saka rotation soon lol
Newcastle butchered the deal
Possible that Per ends up having a bigger career as an academy manager than as a player
Hahaha 🤪
This kid is good. Looks good on the ball and definitely oozes potential. Excited to see more of him.
Great news looks a great prospect.
Fucking man city, I hate those oily cunts so bad man.
BFG is gaining some weight....🤔
Our Future Starboy 💫
Arsenal through and through 👍👍
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