Arsenal, particularly since manager Arsene Wenger arrived to the club, have a history of both producing young talent, and also giving these players a chance with the senior squad.  Current first team players Hector Bellerin, Alex Iwobi, Francis Coquelin, Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs, and Theo Walcott all either progressed through the youth Arsenal ranks, or were brought in and quickly contributed alongside the big boys.

With a new youngster (or two) breaking into the starting XI seemingly every season at Arsenal, there are certainly worse clubs to be at if you are a talented, young player.  In recent years, Coquelin and Bellerin were given significant chances to prove themselves during the 2014/15 campaign, and Iwobi the following year.  All three players took their window of opportunity and did not look back.

Currently, there are a few highly-rated prospects in the Arsenal youth teams.  Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Chris Willock, and Gedion Zelalem, are probably the three most well-known of the young guns, but 17-year-old striker Eddie Nketiah is quickly making a name for himself.

Formally with rivals Chelsea, Nketiah made the unusual switch to north London in the summer of 2015 after the Blues failed to give the teenager a scholarship.  The Gunners were quick to pounce on the striker.  During his freshman season with Arsenal, Nketiah scored 24 goals in 28 matches with the Arsenal U-18’s.  Following the breakout performances, Arsenal awarded the young forward a professional contract back in September.

Nketiah has not showed signs of slowing his goalscoring statistics during his second season with the Gunners.  The striker has managed to score nine times for the U-18’s, twice while featuring in UEFA Youth League matches, and just recently netted a hat trick for the Arsenal U-23’s against Leicester City.

A 17-year-old playing for an U-23 team is not necessarily breaking news; however, Nketiah’s hat trick on Monday was impressive.  For his first goal on the night, the striker made a beautiful diagonal run near the top of the box, received the ball, and fired a curling effort into the top corner of the net.  On the second goal, the best of the trio, Nketiah gained control of the ball in his own half, dribbled the rest of the way, and slotted in a low drive past the keeper (somewhat reminiscent of THAT Thierry Henry goal against Tottenham in 2002).  To complete his hat trick, the youngster made another quality run, this time to the back post, and tapped in the goal from close range.

There is no doubting that the kid can score goals.  Since the start of the 2015/16 season, Nketiah has netted 38 goals in 44 total games along three different age brackets.  It certainly seems as if the Gunners have some new firepower for the future.