By admin 
Arsenal’s up-and-coming academy stars have some rather large shoes to fill as they look to wrestle their way into Mikel Arteta’s plans next season.
Read more One Kubiak Comment Changes Feel Heading Into Raiders Camp
Breaking into a Premier League title-winning roster is no joke and the Gunners are only likely to strengthen further in this summer’s transfer market-with several signings already made. The club’s young talents will have to be extraordinarily good to make their mark.
But Arteta has repeatedly shown faith in talented graduates during his reign, Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri recent examples of promoted wonderkids offered the chance to shine on the senior stage.
So, which Arsenal youngsters can follow in their footsteps next season?
Max Dowman
Max Dowman arguably enjoyed his breakout season in 2025–26 as he rose to prominence and shattered records during 13 first-team appearances. However, rather understandably, Arteta was cautious about overusing the 16-year-old, whose minutes were managed very carefully.
If Dowman has already had his breakout campaign, then 2026–27 could be the season in which he transforms from impact substitute to bona fide star.
With Arsenal once again tasked with competing on four fronts, Dowman will have countless opportunities to shine. The domestic cup competitions should offer him guaranteed starts, but he’s already shown his ability to feature in the Premier League and Champions League, too.
Dowman’s versatility is excellent news for Arteta, the teenager comfortable operating on the right wing or as an attacking midfielder. That positional flexibility will ensure more game time, even if there’s stiff competition for regular minutes.
There are few doubts that Dowman has the capacity to be a truly generational talent. Arsenal simply must lean on his budding brilliance next season.
Marli Salmon
Marli Salmon was another exposed to first-team soccer last season, with four appearances made across the Champions League and FA Cup. The towering center back made less of a splash than Dowman, but still deserves plenty of plaudits for fighting his way into the senior squad aged just 16.
Unfortunately for Salmon, Arsenal aren’t short of center backs. Even following William Saliba’s latest injury setback, they boast Gabriel, Piero Hincapié, Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera, while Ben White and Jurriën Timber can both play in the heart of defense as well. Opportunities will be tough to earn.
However, just like Dowman, the domestic cups should provide invaluable experience, especially if Arsenal are drawn against minnows during the early rounds. If Saliba is joined in the treatment room by any of his positional peers, Salmon could earn a regular place in the matchday squad, too.
There’s certainly no rush to integrate the precocious teenager, but he’s an option that Arteta will be keen to examine moving forward.
Read more Five Arsenal Youngsters Hoping for Breakout Seasons in 2026–27
Andre Harriman-Annous
Versatility is the name of the game in modern soccer, Arteta one of the managers most keen on players being able to function well in multiple positions across the XI. The Spaniard is unlikely to be disappointed by Andre Harriman-Annous in that regard, the 18-year-old having excelled as both a center forward and wide player in Arsenal’s academy.
The lanky attacker has registered 10 goals and two assists for the Under-21s and has caught the eye with his speed, powerful drives up field and clinical edge. He should have little trouble adjusting to the physicality of senior soccer due to his frame and athleticism, although he will still need to put on some muscle before taking the step up.
Harriman-Annous was utilized twice by Arteta last season, appearing in the FA Cup and Champions League, suggesting he’s already made an impression on the Arsenal boss. Next season might be too soon for the teenager, who would benefit from a loan spell in England, but he’s on the right trajectory to feature prominently in the years to come.
Louie Copley
Louie Copley is yet to make his Arsenal debut, but he’s already gained experience at senior level. The 19-year-old, who signed a pro contract with the Gunners last summer, spent the second half of last season on loan with Crawley Town in League Two, where he made nine appearances-eight of which were starts-and registered an assist.
Former Crawley boss Scott Lindsey was full of praise for the midfielder, stating after his debut: “Louie Copley was outstanding. I thought he was the best player on the pitch by a mile. I thought he was brilliant. I thought he looked brave on the ball, he’s got those long legs to make tackles and I thought he was outstanding.”
Copley’s technical quality makes him an intriguing prospect and although there are obviously enormous areas that require improvement, the future appears bright. Whether his potential can be realized in north London remains to be seen, but it would be remiss of Arsenal to ignore their burgeoning box-to-box midfielder.
Evan Mooney
It’s been less than six months since Arsenal signed Evan Mooney from St Mirren. The 18-year-old had blossomed in his native Scotland, making 23 appearances for the Buddies and winning the Scottish League Cup before being snapped up by the Gunners. He’s hit the ground running south of the border.
The tenacious striker scored twice in his opening six matches for Arsenal’s Under-21s, underscoring his sky-high potential and offering him some necessary momentum ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Much like Harriman-Annous and Copley, there appears some distance between Mooney and any serious involvement with the senior squad, but a goalscoring run in the academy is all he needs to impress Arsenal’s youth staff and, in turn, Arteta.
READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
- Real Madrid ‘Set Vinicius Jr Asking Price’ in Strong Response to Arsenal
- Transfer Rumors: Ronaldo Negotiates With Man Utd Star; Vinicius Jr’s Arsenal Demands
- How Vinicius Jr Would Fit at Arsenal If Blockbuster Transfer Becomes Reality
- The Best FPL Names for Every Premier League Club: 2026–27 Season
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Read more Red Sox Demote Player Following Ranger Suarez Announcement
This story was originally published July 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM.