The Arsenal Academy is thriving from top to bottom right now, and there are plenty of key figures to thank.
The Hale End Academy is producing a lot of top talents, with Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly now in the Arsenal first-team.
Former defender Per Mertesacker is the head of the entire academy, and has ensured that it is firing on all cylinders across all age groups, in terms of both coaching and recruitment.
His old teammate Jack Wilshere was the head coach of the under-18s until he recently departed, whilst the lesser-known Mehmet Ali is currently performing well in charge of the under-21 side, but just who is he?
Who is the Arsenal Under-21 manager?
Mehmet Ali is the head coach of the Arsenal under-21s and has been in his role since July 2022.
Ali initially joined Arsenal in January 2022 as an assistant, before taking up his current role to replace Kevin Betsy six months later.
Mehmet Ali age and birthplace
Mehmet Ali was born in Turkey on October 10, 1986, making him 38 years old at the time of writing.
What experience and qualifications does Mehmet Ali have?
Ali joined Arsenal from Reading, where he was previously their under-21 manager, and has previously worked as a youth coach at Tottenham Hotspur.
Ali earned his UEFA Pro Licence in June 2024, the highest possible coaching qualification, after an 18-month process.
Mehmet Ali’s record as Arsenal under-21 manager
At the time of writing, Ali had taken charge of 97 Arsenal under-21 matches, with 37 wins, 24 draws and 35 losses.
His sides have scored 182 goals and conceded 177 times in that period, with a rate of 1.41 points per game.
Arsenal have finished fifth in the Premier League 2 in both of his seasons in charge of the under-21s.
Which Arsenal youngsters have thrived under Mehmet Ali?
Both Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have thrived under Ali whilst playing for the under-21s.
Nathan Butler-Oyedeji also exploded in front of goal under his management, establishing himself as one of the deadliest forwards in his age group.
Several of Ali’s youngsters, including Ismeal Kabia and Maldini Kacurri, have gone on to make their first-team debuts in the EFL Cup.
What has Mehmet Ali said about Ethan Nwaneri?
Nwaneri is the name on everyone’s lips as he continues to break into Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad, and Ali has praised the teenager in the past.
“Ethan’s got a very ruthless streak in him when it comes to scoring goals,” Ali stated in April 2024.
“He’s got very good finishing which he’s shown at 21s level, which is really pleasing. He also needs to look at what he can do to improve and aspire to get into our first team.”
What has Mehmet Ali said about Myles Lewis-Skelly?
Lewis-Skelly has started featuring more under Arteta, and Ali praised him in October 2024, highlighting his adaptation from midfield to an inverted full-back role.
“You have to be really careful because the stimulus has to be right for them and when you get that early exposure like they’ve had, it’s been brilliant and they’ll learn loads, but then when you do come into a u21s fixture, it’s how you control your mindset to go and perform at that level,” Ali stated of Lewis-Skelly and Josh Nichols after a win at MK Dons.
“Myles did that really well in possession and even out of possession, learning the role as a left back. I thought he was excellent.”
Lewis-Skelly has developed superbly, and a lot of credit should go to Ali for aiding his progression within the under-21s.
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