It’s been a fruitful period for the Arsenal academy of late, with the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly establishing themselves in the first team this season, and more could be on the way.
Bukayo Saka has become the poster boy for Hale End over the last five years, with the club’s exceptional coaching staff clearly providing the youngsters with the tools they need to develop into professional footballers.
Nwaneri is thriving on Arsenal’s right-wing at the moment, while Lewis-Skelly has seemingly usurped big-money signing Riccardo Calafiori in the left-back pecking order.
While Max Dowman is the newest name on everybody’s lips, several more talented starlets are emerging, with Jack Wilshere cited as an influential figure in regards to unearthing this talent.
Harrison Dudziak has revealed how Jack Wilshere helped him at Arsenal
Jack Wilshere left Arsenal’s under-18s for Norwich City in November, after two years in the job.
The former Arsenal player is well documented to have been a popular figure among many Hale End hopefuls, and 19-year-old midfielder Harrison Dudziak has referenced the coach as being a significant part of his individual development.
Speaking to Arsenal.com, Dudziak explained how Wilshere helped tone his leadership skills by making him captain of the under-18s.
“As a scholar I captained the under-18s,” the youngster said.
“I lead more by example than by being vocal, trying to set high standards in training and matches. I was also captain at Brentford.
“Jack Wilshere, my old coach at Arsenal, gave me the armband to help develop my leadership skills and take on more responsibility.”
Dudziak signed his first professional contract in the summer of 2024, putting pen to paper on a long-term deal.
The creative midfielder, who compares himself to Andres Iniesta, has trained with the first-team on several occasions and is hoping to earn more involvement with Mikel Arteta’s ensemble moving forward.
“Growing up, my idol was Andres Iniesta. He was a magician on the ball – creative, composed and capable of doing it all.
“I’ve always tried to model my game on him.”
With Arsenal’s attacking options limited at the moment due to injuries, and Martin Odegaard struggling for form, it’s not implausible to suggest that Dudziak could have a role to play in the first team at some point this season.
However, it’s more likely that he’ll remain in the under-21s, with an eye towards making a first team breakthrough in the coming years.
Harrison Dudziak names Jorginho and Martin Odegaard as Arsenal players he learns from
Similar in style to Iniesta, it’s no surprise who Dudziak forensically studies when he gets the opportunity to train with the senior players.
The North London-born man cited Jorginho and Odegaard as he plays he monitors in training sessions to learn from.
“Sometimes we train with the first team, and the experience is invaluable. Playing against top players like Odegaard and Jorginho teaches you a lot.
“Odegaard’s sharpness and Jorginho’s intelligence and positioning are incredible. Even if you can’t always get near the ball, you learn from their movement and decision-making.”
Arteta will be hoping that Dudziak can harness a combination of both players’ skills, with these mix of attributes likely eliciting an incredible talent.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
