Mikel Arteta is likely to bring several Hale End youngsters on Arsenal’s pre-season tour this summer, with a view to some of them featuring in the first team next season.
The Gunners returned to training this week and will jet off for their tour of Asia at some point in the next seven days, following their camp in La Manga in Spain.
AC Milan await Arsenal in Singapore, before they face Newcastle in the same country and then Tottenham in Hong Kong.
Arteta has brought several academy stars to Spain to train with the first team, and the tactician is also likely to bring many of them on tour.
These stars will be fighting for a place on the plane to Singapore, and one Hale End starlet may well have been handed a considerable boost in his hopes of being involved.
Hale End star Michal Rosiak leaves Arsenal
Michal Rosiak has impressed in Arsenal’s youth teams over the last few years, since joining the club at the age of 10.
The versatile youngster has been used as a right-back and in central midfield, and it was believed that he could make an impact in the first team due to this flexibility.
The Pole featured on Arsenal’s bench away at Real Madrid last season, and is highly-thought of within Hale End.
Despite this, the Gunners have listed Rosiak on the club’s official website as one of the academy players who have been released this summer.
This brings to an end his nine-year stay at Arsenal, and he’ll now look for a new club.
Rosiak was touted as a potential Thomas Partey replacement, but it’s possible that the arrivals of Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard deterred the 19-year-old from agreeing to a new contract, which was said to be on the table at one point.
Michal Rosiak’s departure creates opportunity for Harrison Dudziak
While losing the talented Rosiak will disappoint many academy figures at Arsenal, it could create a pathway to first-team minutes for another Hale End prospect.
Harrison Dudziak has been compared to Andres Iniesta, and has impressed in the Gunners’ youth teams in recent seasons.
A staple figure for the Arsenal under-21s last campaign, Dudziak made 12 appearances in Premier League 2, as well as six in the UEFA Youth League.
While the Englishman is a slightly more advanced and creative midfielder than Rosiak, the Pole was somewhat blocking his path to the senior side.
Now Rosiak is gone, Dudziak has a genuine chance of featuring for Arteta’s side in pre-season, and if he impresses, this could lead to first-team opportunities in 2025/26.
The 19-year-old has also been handed the number 39 shirt, significantly lower than most other Hale End players, which suggests that he’s considered close to the first team.
Rosiak’s departure may ultimately result in Arteta uncovering another gem from the Arsenal academy.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
