4 young players to watch out for in Arsenal pre-season | OneFootball

The summer's international tournaments have now come to an end and that means club football will soon return.

However, English teams will first embark on some pretty exciting pre-season tours before the Premier League fixtures commence, meaning fringe and young players will be given the chance to shine.

Arsenal head to the United States in July, first facing Bournemouth before battling rivals Manchester United. A clash with Liverpool is set to follow before the Gunners travel back to north London to take on German champions Bayer Leverkusen. Their pre-season will end on 11 August when they host French side Lyon at the Emirates.

So which young prospects should fans look out for this summer?

Ethan Nwaneri

Nwaneri has become a real star at Arsenal / Visionhaus/GettyImages

17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri has been tearing up the Premier League 2, ensuring his name reaches those in charge of Arsenal's first team. The midfielder made 21 appearances across all competitions last season, registering an incredible 18 goals.

He was even given an appearance for Mikel Arteta's side when the Gunners faced West Ham in February, making just his second ever Premier League outing.

Nwaneri has already started to impress in pre-season friendlies, scoring in a 4-2 win for Arsenal's Under-21s against Boreham Wood on Saturday afternoon.

Having been left out of the squad that faced Enfield Town on Tuesday, the teenager is expected to travel with the first team to the US this summer. His recent performances undoubtedly deserve praise and it won't be long before Nwaneri is demanding a place alongside the best.

Max Dowman

Dowman is already an incredible player / Julian Finney/GettyImages

Max Dowman has already caught the attention of many in English football and, at just 14 years old, is on track to become one of the country's most exciting players.

All eyes need to be on this youngster as he develops through the ranks at Arsenal. The club, clearly aware of his skills, have even allocated the midfielder an official squad number - a rare accolade for an Under-15 player.

Dowman has already played for the Under-18 squad, trained with the first-team and even represented England at Under-17 level. He's pretty remarkable and could even become the Premier League's youngest ever player given the opportunity next season.

Of course, there's a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but if Dowman can handle it he may have the credentials to become a real star.

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Lewis-Skelly will hope to earn a spot amongst the squad / BSR Agency/GettyImages

Myles Lewis-Skelly has impressed in Arsenal's youth ranks and continues to search for his breakthrough into the first team.

The midfielder made 22 appearances during the 2023/24 season but was on the bench during Arsenal's 6-0 win over Lens in the Champions League. He was given the same opportunity against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League and, although he did not get a chance to play, making the matchday squad is a clear sign of positive things to come.

The 17-year-old is among the more likely candidates to travel with the team to the States, where he will hopefully grab the chance to play alongside some of the team's big names.

Dan Casey

Casey will hope to break into Arsenal's squad / Julian Finney/GettyImages

17-year-old Dan Casey has been on an immense journey at Arsenal, starting in their pre-academy before earning a scholarship at London Colney. The attacking midfielder can be used in a variety of roles, boasting the ability to play both centrally and wide.

Arsenal's Under-21 side fell to a defeat at the hands of Enfield Town on Tuesday, but positives certainly came from Casey, who provided a stunning strike to earn the team's only goal of the game.

Casey has stepped up when more established members of the squad are away, a skill he will need to perfect if he is to work his way into the first team.

He took the opportunity to step up to the Under-21 side in his stride, adding to the 11 appearances he made last season for the Under-18s.