We take a look at the six teenage Arsenal stars named on the bench for this week’s Champions League tie in Istanbul.
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger took the unusual step of naming his Arsenal team for the Champions League trip to Istanbul to face Galatasaray this week more than 24 hours before kick off – possibly due to the fact that, save for an outside chance of topping the group, the match means little to the Gunners.
Wenger has turned to some fringe players such as Joel Campbell and Yaya Sanogo in his starting XI, but the biggest story is perhaps on the bench, where only reserve goalkeeper Damian Martinez isn’t a teenager without a single start for the club.
Even Gunners fans will not be au fait with the six youngsters who may get their chance in Istanbul – so we’ve taken a look at them for you:
Gedion Zelalem
One of the most exciting young stars in the Arsenal system currently is winger Gedion Zelalem, with the 17 year-old German youth international already having been in and around the first team squad for League Cup ties. Zelalem initially played in the academy of Hertha Berlin, before moving to the United States – where he was spotted playing for Olney Rangers by Arsenal scouts. Extremely quick and with a deft touch, Zelalem may well get his chance to impress if things are going well for the Gunners.
Glen Kamara
Versatile midfielder Glen Kamara was the captain of Arsenal’s Under 18 team last season before he was promoted to the club’s Under 21 squad – the fact that the Finnish youth international is a midfield destroyer whose main job is protect the defence will be music to the ears of fans hoping that a talented defensive midfielder will burst onto the first team picture in the near future.
Stefan O’Connor
It has been a whirlwind couple of months for 17 year-old centre back Stefan O’Connor, who only signed his first professional contract with the Gunners in October and will now be on the bench for a Champions League tie in the white hot atmosphere of Istanbul. Arsene Wenger handed O’Connor a three year professional deal, showing his belief in O’Connor’s potential, and the ball-playing centre back is one for whom Arsenal have genuinely high hopes.
Alex Iwobi
The fourth teenager on the bench will be Nigerian born winger Alex Iwobi, who is the nephew of former Bolton Wanderers and Nigeria superstar Jay-Jay Okocha. Iwobi has inherited plenty of the skills of his uncle, with the fleet-footed winger known for his ability to dribble past players both with his fine close control and acceleration. Iwobi signed his first professional deal with the club in May 2014.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Another fleet-footed winger very much in the mould of Zelalem and Iwobi is England youth international Ainsley Maitland-Niles, although raw pace and goalscoring rather than out-and-out creativity is the speciality of the 17 year-old. Maitland-Niles has been with Arsenal since the age of nine and the East London born youngster is very much a product of the club’s academy – the kind of player for whom an appearance at Galatasaray would be a very special moment.
Chuba Akpom
Perhaps the best known of the six youngsters is striker Chuba Akpom, who has already featured off the bench for the Gunners in League Cup ties – notably at West Bromwich Albion last season. The Newham born 19 year-old also has first team experienced in the shape of two loan spells in League One, although he was unable to find the net in two short spells with Brentford and Coventry City last season. With a fine goalscoring record for England Under 17s and a long history of hype, Akpom is reaching the kind of age where he needs to start delivering.