Arsenal's youth production has been stellar over their illustrious history, and there is arguably no better environment with which to promote them from Hale End than the current one which Mikel Arteta has cultivated.
However, some of the outstanding academy stars will have a tough task on their hands overtaking the first-team regulars, with Oleksandr Zinchenko one man who could be under threat…
How good is Oleksandr Zinchenko?
Having joined in the summer of 2022 for £32m, the former Manchester City man marked an imperative acquisition for the Gunners, alongside Gabriel Jesus, to help add some stars already embedded within the system and with a winning mentality sure to rub off on the squad.
Arteta outlined the effect his Ukrainian ace instantly had: "First of all, his mentality. He’s used to winning – winning is the only thing and winning in the right way.
"He’s a perfectionist and a really demanding boy, I know him so well, and after that he brings qualities that we didn’t have in the squad. He gives us a different option to play within the role in different spaces, and I’m really happy to have him."
His tactical dexterity has been paramount in pioneering the inverted full-back in the Emirates, with the defender sitting in the top 3% for passes attempted per 90, the top 5% for pass completion per 90, and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90 when compared to other full-backs across Europe, via FBref.
However, in Michal Rosiak, Arteta could be set to unearth an ideal heir to the 26-year-old, who he could mould perfectly in his image.
Who is Michal Rosiak?
Despite naturally being a right-back, his ability to also play in midfield arguably makes him the perfect subject to be converted into an inverted full-back, with his attacking exploits last season for the U21s only acting as further support.
The Polish defender was a key cog in their run to the FA Youth Cup final, and would score four goals in that competition whilst also managing a further ten goal contributions in just ten U18s Premier League matches. Academy expert Jeorge Bird would emphasise the former notion, as he took to Twitter to write: "Michal Rosiak, who has been fantastic in this Youth Cup run, opens the scoring with a brilliant free-kick".
As a silky stalwart who is just as comfortable in possession as he is at snatching it back from the opposition, his reward for such blistering form was a first professional contract back in April which marked a huge show of faith in the teenage sensation who was seemingly built for Arteta's system.
It could even be argued that, whilst he may not be as controlling as Zinchenko is in the engine room, his offensive exploits offer a fine makeweight, given the £150k-per-week star has recorded just three goal contributions across 43 appearances, a tally which Rosiak bettered in the FA Youth Cup alone last term.
Although it might seem a tough task to usurp the defender, who acts as a key pillar of Arteta's system, it is clear that the Poland U19 international has the exact skillset to mimic what makes Zinchenko so successful, certain to begin challenging him in the coming years.
