The first time Mikel Arteta spoke publicly as the head coach of Arsenal, on the day he was appointed in December 2019, he was asked what he had learned from Pep Guardiola during his time as the Manchester City manager's assistant. Arteta paused briefly, thinking about his answer, before saying: "What I have learned mostly is that you have to be ruthless."
It felt, at the time, like a promise. And Arteta has certainly stayed true to his word in the subsequent three years, as he and sporting director Edu have reshaped the Arsenal squad by bluntly removing the players they did not want. There has been no time for sentiment in north London, where star players have been exiled and big contracts have been terminated.
Now, as the club's reconstruction project enters its next phase, that ruthless streak looks set to resurface. Arsenal are a Champions League club again and the demands on their players are about to go up another level. They will be targeting more elite talent to help them compete in Europe's primary competition, and only those capable of significantly impacting the first-team will be required.
Among those who look the most vulnerable this summer are many of the academy graduates who have progressed into the senior team over the past few years. These players have been fundamental to the rebuild of Arsenal in recent seasons but the train is moving quickly and it is increasingly clear that not all of them will be able to stay on board.
Such thoughts might not sit comfortably with Arsenal's supporters. This, though, is the reality of the club's current situation. "Arsenal DNA" is important, of course, but so is Champions League-level quality. Now is the time for performance, not potential.
One of the academy graduates in the first-team has already confirmed he is leaving the club. Ainsley Maitland-Niles has spent this season on loan at Southampton and, with his Arsenal contract expiring this summer, he will not be returning.
Reiss Nelson is also out of contract at the end of this season. Talks are ongoing over his future but it would be no surprise if he also departed, especially with Arsenal targeting a high-class winger (Telegraph Sport understands they are among the clubs to have registered an interest in Bayer Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby).
Folarin Balogun, who has starred on loan in France this season, is also regarded as likely to be sold. The 21-year-old has scored 18 goals in Ligue 1 and is clearly ready for regular first-team action. With Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah ahead of him at Arsenal, he is unlikely to find it under Arteta.
Charlie Patino, the highly rated midfielder who scored on his first-team debut last season, is planning to leave on a permanent basis. With Arsenal set to strengthen in central midfield this summer, the 19-year-old's pathway to regular first-action appears to be blocked.
And then there is Emile Smith Rowe, who has played such an important role in Arsenal's development over the past few years. Without Smith Rowe, who changed the course of Arteta's tenure with his performances in the winter of 2020/21, Arsenal and their manager would not be where they are today. But he has barely featured in the second half of this season, despite being fit, and his future looks increasingly uncertain.
For these young players, so much of it comes down to timing. If Patino had been born a few years earlier, for example, he might well have come into the side that Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka helped to transform a few seasons ago. At that point, Arsenal were struggling to even qualify for the Europa League, and they needed young talent to lift the mood. Now, though, with Champions League football secured, Arsenal can no longer be taking chances on teenagers.
The challenge for the academy, overseen by former defender Per Mertesacker, is therefore harder than ever, but this is not to say that the sales of graduates is bad news for the club. Internally it is seen as a sign of their development, and one must also consider the financial importance of making profits on young players.
This weekend, Arsenal come up against Joe Willock, who joined the club as a child and was sold to Newcastle United for more than £20 million in 2021. The midfielder's success since his move has made it a good deal for all concerned (stylistically he was not the right fit under Arteta) and Arsenal can only hope for similar outcomes with the other academy players who do not become first-team regulars.
Arteta wants to retain a young British core, with Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale both close to agreeing new contracts. But the demands are rising on Arsenal's players and, as the squad evolves, not all of their academy starlets will be deemed ready for what comes next.
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