Arsenal have achieved great success with the Hale End academy in recent years with talents such as Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka graduating and thriving for the first team.
However, there is a talent who is yet to graduate from the academy who could be set to breakthrough and be another one of Arsenal’s young stars.
It isn’t just his ability that has led to the high credentials but his namesake makes him stand out ahead of other youngsters.
Salah-Eddine Oulad has been excellent for the Arsenal under 23’s this season and could be considered for a senior call-up ahead of the midweek Carabao Cup fixture against Leeds.
The Dutch youngster joined in the summer of 2020 after deciding to leave Eredivisie side Feyenoord.
The 18-year-old was ruled out with injury for the majority of last season meaning he wasn’t able to impress as he would have liked due to the lack of game time.
However, he has exploded out of the blocks and put in some magnificent displays that have caught the eye of first-team boss Mikel Arteta as he has been requested to train with the senior squad on numerous occasions.
The central midfielder had a wonderful September with the under-23’s which saw him assist a goal against Manchester United, play his part in a Chelsea own goal and he scored a magnificent strike against Manchester City with a curling strike into the top corner.
This amazing form has come at possibly the perfect time for the youngster as the first team are still in the Carabao Cup competition which is notorious for teams giving their academy stars a chance to shine at a senior level.
With the current precarious central midfield situation we find ourselves in, it is pivotal that Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga are wrapped in cotton wool following the Granit Xhaka injury.
If Arteta decides to preserve both Partey and Sambi Lokonga for the upcoming Premier League fixture against Leicester then Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Mohammed Elneny would be the two senior options to play against Leeds.
And this would create an amazing opportunity for Salah to at least occupy the bench for the Gunners on Tuesday evening which would provide great experience going forward.
The Dutch youngster will be in competition with fellow Arsenal starlet Charlie Patino as they both play in the centre of midfield but it is certainly healthy competition which will help with their development.
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