Sold for £9m, now worth 311% more: Arsenal may rue selling phenomenal ace

You only have to look as far as Arsenal’s current first-team squad to see how many quality young talents the club possesses, with all of them undoubtedly having a huge role to play in North London.

Bukayo Saka has been the shining light for the Gunners in the final third over the last couple of years, often single-handedly winning games for Mikel Arteta in their quest to end their two-decade wait for a Premier League trophy.

The Englishman has registered 67 goals and 73 assists in just over 250 appearances for his boyhood club since making his debut, registering a goal contribution every 1.7 matches, highlighting his impact in front of goal.

However, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are just two of the latest prospects to come through the Hale End Academy, with chances frequently falling their way and grabbing them with both hands as the pair got on the scoresheet in the 5-1 win against Manchester City last weekend.

It’s safe to say not all the youngsters who feature at the Emirates go on to have a successful time in North London, with numerous failing to make the grade over the last few years.

Arsenal’s failed Hale End youngsters

Folarin Balogun was seen as one star for the future by many in North London after his superb goalscoring form in the youth ranks, especially in the U18 Premier League.

To this day, the American sits as the third top scorer in the division’s history, registering a total of 34 goals in just 33 appearances, potentially becoming their star number nine after such a run of form.

However, he would only make a total of ten appearances for the Gunners’ first team, banking a hefty profit when joining Monaco in 2023, but ultimately unable to make the impact at his boyhood club.

Serge Gnabry also had high hopes of being a success at the club but was prematurely sold, now starring for Bayern Munich, featuring over 250 times since moving to the Bundesliga outfit back in 2018.

He’s not the only youngster who’s moved away from the club in recent years and starred elsewhere, with Arteta potentially living to regret his decision to allow the star to leave.

The midfield star who Arsenal may regret offloading

French midfielder Mateo Guendouzi joined Arsenal back in the summer of 2018 for a fee of £7m from French side Lorient with high hopes for the future.

However, he would make an immediate impact at the Emirates, featuring 48 times in all competitions during his debut season at the club, including 33 league outings.

His second and final year as a first-team member would see a slight drop in minutes, making just 34 appearances before an infamous bust-up with fellow Frenchman Neal Maupay ultimately saw him lose his place at the Emirates.

Guendouzi would endure two separate loan spells at Hertha Berlin and Marseille before joining the latter on a permanent basis for just £9m – banking a profit, but failing to reach the heights many expected due to his off-the-field antics.

He’s since moved to Lazio in Serie A, a move which has catapulted his career for the better, making 75 appearances in the last two seasons, with his market value skyrocketing as a result of his consistent showings.

The Frenchman, who’s previously been dubbed as “phenomenal” by CBS football correspondent James Benge, is now valued at €45m (£37m) by CIES Football Observatory, a rise of 311% on the fee they sold him for just a couple of years ago.

It’s a shame that it didn’t work out for the 25-year-old at the club, but evidently, there was never going to be a way back for Guendouzi after his attitude problems which tarnished his relationship with Arteta.

However, his current form could’ve benefitted the Spaniard who is yet to see the best from another midfielder in Mikel Merino. Perhaps they may rue their decision to cash in so cheaply.