Arsenal have had numerous promising academy players leave the club in recent years.
While the likes of Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have found a way to break into the first team, others have struggled to do so and opted to ply their trade elsewhere.
Chido Obi joined Manchester United in the summer, while Ayden Heaven also left Arsenal for the Red Devils this season.
It’s becoming an increasingly common occurrence for Hale End starlets to jump ship, and thus Mikel Arteta must be weary of this as he continues his reign in the Emirates dugout.
- READ MORE: Arsenal wonderkid joins Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman in record books with academy appearance
Miguel Azeez reveals why he left Arsenal
One academy prospect who was tipped to be a staple in Arsenal’s midfield for many years was Miguel Azeez.
The deep-lying playmaker joined the Gunners at the age of five, and rose through the youth ranks right up into the first team.
Spending a few seasons training with the senior squad, Arteta granted Azeez his professional debut back in December 2020, introducing the midfielder in the 83rd minute of a Europa League group stage game against Dundalk.
After various unsuccessful loan spells, Azeez rejected a contract proposal from Arsenal in 2023, joining Atletico Baleares in the Spanish third division.
Now playing in the Greek second tier, the former England under-20 international has revealed why exactly he turned down a new deal at his boyhood club.
Speaking to the Athletic, he said: “I felt like I had to go. You would train with the 21s, be in with the first team and be on the bench but not get on. I had to try to create my own path.
“I don’t think anybody would like a player not extending their contract, but it wasn’t the nicest send-off.
“Normally, a player who was leaving would get their shirt signed by all the players and staff. I didn’t get that or a meeting saying goodbye.
“Not that I cared as I don’t need that to feel validated but me being the longest-serving player, it would have been nice to get something.”
Essentially implying he didn’t feel there was a pathway to regular first-team minutes at Arsenal, Azeez’ story is certainly a sad one, given the calibre of talent he was believed to be.
With Heaven and Chido Obi more recent examples of encouraging youngsters departing N5 for what they deem to be greener pastures, Arteta has to demonstrate that there is a route to the first team for those emerging through the Academy.
The prominence of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly this season will certainly help this.
Max Dowman is the latest Arsenal wonderkid to be developed at Hale End, and it’s essential that the Gunners carefully layout how they plan to integrate him into the first team eventually, otherwise he may be tempted by outside potential suitors.
Miguel Azeez reveals how Mesut Ozil helped him at Arsenal
In a fascinating interview, Azeez revealed more about his time at Arsenal than just his departure.
Speaking about his relationship with Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and the social media hype around him when he was flirting with the prospect of breaking through, the outspoken figure also described an interaction he had with Mesut Ozil in training.
“Ozil rarely spoke when he trained,” he said. “So when he did to me, I looked behind to see if there was someone else but it was me.
“He started telling me where to stand to get the ball and that I didn’t always have to be moving.
“It is one of my most vivid memories.”
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