While he has been on the receiving end of plenty of stick so far this season, not all of it warranted, Viktor Gyokeres has not had a bad start to his Arsenal career.
The Swedish marksman has scored three goals in six Premier League games, and on another night, he would have bagged himself at least one more against Olympiacos.
Moreover, his physicality and monstrous desire to run in behind opposition defences have given Mikel Arteta’s side another dimension.
However, at 27 years old, he needs to start putting more chances away, as he was a win-now signing, unlike another youngster coming up through the academy who seems destined to be worth more than Gyokeres at some point.
Arsenal's Hale End gems
Arsenal have made it a habit of producing brilliant first-team-ready talents from Hale End in recent years, and it looks like that trend is set to continue, considering the gems they currently have in the academy.
In The Pipeline
For example, centre-forward Andre Harriman-Annous continues to impress, and even though he now plays exclusively in the U21s, the 17-year-old has already scored three goals in just six games.
Able to play across the frontline, it feels like just a matter of time until he is handed his competitive senior debut by Arteta, especially as he played in pre-season and has already featured in the senior squad.
Another incredible talent to keep an eye out for is Alex Marciniak.
The 17-year-old Welshman is primarily a left-winger and has built on a strong campaign last season, already producing four goal involvements in just five games.
Described as an “insane” talent by academy expert Will Balsam, the youngster clearly has an eye for goal, but is also blessed with brilliant technique and “tidy footwork,” per Balsam.
Finally, another U18s gem who could make the move up the age groups this season is Ceadach O’Neill.
The Northern Irishman has been in red-hot form so far this year, scoring four goals and providing one assist in just six appearances.
However, there is one teenage talent that currently sits above all others, one that most would agree seems destined to reach a valuation higher than Gyokeres’.
The Arsenal gem on track to be worth more than Gyokeres
While an argument could be made for the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly fitting this description, the Hale End gem in question is even younger than them: Max Dowman.
The 15-year-old gem was one of the big talking points from Arsenal’s campaign near the start of this season, and it’s easy to understand why.
Following his incredible form in the youth teams last season, which saw him score 19 goals and provide five assists in just 23 appearances, he was taken on the pre-season tour.
Appearances
23
Minutes
1945′
Goals
19
Assists
5
Goal Involvements per Match
1.04
Minutes per Goal Involvement
81.04′
Despite still being so young, Arteta decided to give him 30 minutes of action against Newcastle United, and it proved to be an excellent decision.
Instead of cowering away from the season professionals, the youngsters took them on time and time again, eventually winning a penalty and, as respected analyst Ben Mattinson put it, “humiliating Premier League players.”
With a few more appearances in pre-season, the Chelmsford-born gem was given his senior competitive debut at home to Leeds United in the Premier League.
Once again, he took the fight to the visitors, constantly beating his man and then won another penalty as fouling him was the only way they could stop him.
At this point, talent scout Jacek Kulig’s claim from a year ago that the Englishman was the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal” started to seem far more reasonable.
Ultimately, it’s clear that the Hale Ender is destined for the very top of the game, and if he’s already toying with seasoned professionals at 15 years old, it also feels like he is destined to one day be worth more than the £64m Arsenal paid for Gyokeres.
