Many dream of growing up to play for Arsenal one day, with the club’s rich history, fantastic superstars and incredible support all blending into one environment.
For some, the dream is to come through those ranks to play at the Emirates Stadium, pulling on the famous red shirt.
However, getting into the Hale End academy is easier said than done.
The youth system at Arsenal is one of the best in the world and as a result, the best of the best make their way through from the early age ranges.
Many may wonder how the club decide on trials for the next generation of stars to come through, with plenty going on behind the scenes.
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How do you join the Arsenal academy?
Players must be selected to join the Arsenal academy and invited to join the club via a recommendation, likely made by a scout or a coach.
This can come at a young age group, depending on how local they are, where training sessions are held to make football as fun and entertaining as possible.
As the age groups increase, there are possibilities to earn a scholarship at the latter development stages, at which point there is a view to making the first team.
Arsenal scouts will watch academy and local matches
If a player is already in an academy elsewhere in the country, the chances are that an Arsenal scout will be keeping tabs on them at some point.
The Arsenal under-18s will often feature trialists in the squad who are actually on scholarships with other clubs, getting a close-up look at their ability and potential.
If academy stars are playing to the top of their ability, then there is a chance they could be approached about possibly joining the Gunners.
Another possibility is being scouted in the local area, which is exactly what happened with Bukayo Saka.
Track Arsenal football summer camps
Another option for youngsters is to follow a possible Arsenal Football UK summer camp, which is aimed at children as young as nine and as old as 17.
Players will be trained by coaches to learn how to play the “Arsenal way”, giving them skills for both on and off the football pitch.
There’s absolutely no guarantee that it will lead to a trial, but the camp will certainly teach budding young talent transferable skills.
There are different dates and locations to attend an Arsenal football summer camp, with more information available here.
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