Arsenal legend names three youngsters who could be central to next manager’s plans

Posted by

Arsenal legend Martin Keown has suggested that Rob Holding, Calum Chambers and Konstantinos Mavropanos could have big roles to play under the club’s next manager.

The former Gunners defender believes whoever comes in to replace Arsene Wenger should make a new signing at the back this summer to play alongside one of those three young players as first choice.

MORE: Arsenal legend gives Gunners major hope of completing £90m transfer

‘Mavropanos is only 20. It is massive for him to break into the Arsenal first team at his age,’ Keown told the Daily Mail.

‘There is a contingent of young defenders at the club now, with Calum Chambers and Rob Holding. Arsenal have lost two central defenders with Per Mertesacker retiring and Laurent Koscielny out until December.

‘The new manager needs to assess whether the young defenders are good enough and maintain a pathway for those who are. Arsenal need a top level central defender for one of these youngsters to play alongside.’

Konstantinos Mavropanos has impressed for Arsenal

This is a big show of faith from Keown in the trio, who are relatively unproven at the very highest level, with Mavropanos only recently making his Premier League debut.

Holding and Chambers, meanwhile, have blown hot and cold when given a run in the team, but Keown believes the next manager should assess the three of them and give them regular playing time if he thinks they’re good enough.

Mavropanos has certainly caught the eye in his first few appearances for Arsenal and it will be interesting to see if Wenger’s successor is as willing as the Frenchman has been to show his trust in youth.

More Stories calum chambers Konstantinos Mavropanos Martin Keown Rob Holding