3 Arsenal players make Golden Boy final 40 shortlist | OneFootball

Arsenal still have three entrants on the Golden Boy shortlist for 2021, with the award now at the final-40 stage of the vote.

joie – Gerson Santos Da Silva Olympique de Marseille – William Saliba Olympique de Marseille FOOTBALL : Olympique de Marseille vs AS Saint Etienne – Ligue 1 Uber Eats – Marseille – 28/08/2021. NorbertScanella/PanoramiC

When Tuttosport initially announced their 100-strong longlist for the Golden Boy award this year, Arsenal had four players involved: Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, and Folarin Balogun.

Balogun dropped off the list when it was cut to 60 players, but the other three have remained in the running even now that it’s down to 40. You can vote for Saka, Saliba, or Martinelli here.

Saka probably has the best chance of making it to the latter stages of the award, after his starring performances with Arsenal and that run to the final of Euro 2020 with England. The 20-year-old was named Arsenal’s Player of the Season last campaign.

Saliba is also having a strong year, though. Despite not featuring for Arsenal, he had a successful loan with OGC Nice and is now starting regularly in Marseille. Still just 20 years old himself, the defender is impressing over in France.

As for Martinelli, he has an Olympic Gold medal and a strong finish to the 2020/21 campaign to point to, after much of that season was disrupted by his knee injury.

But he’d probably need to break back into the starting lineup with Arsenal soon to have a realistic shot at the award. Even so, it’s great to see the public recognising three Arsenal youngsters and voting them this far.