Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has picked the four players Arsenal should consider building their team around.
It has been a very disappointing season for the Gunners who look set to miss out on European football for the first time in 25 years, currently ninth and having crashed out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage.
But there have been some silver linings, particularly in the form of some of the promising youngsters who have established themselves as first-team stars this season.
Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe are the two that stand out, while Kieran Tierney has gone from strength-to-strength since arriving from Celtic.
And all three of those players have been mentioned in Ferdinand's list of names that the Gunners should base their squad around, along with one player who is currently impressing out on loan.
“The only thing to come out for Arsenal are Emile Smith Rowe, Saka and Tierney this season,” Ferdinand said on his FIVE YouTube channel.
“They’ve been top, they’ve been the best players and that’s what he’s got to build around going forward.
“Even Joe Willock has gone to Newcastle and kept them up. He’s got to come back into the fray surely after that little spell he’s had there. Those are the guys that Arsenal have to build around going forward.”
Saka has racked up 43 appearances so far this season, scoring seven times and assisting 10 goals, while Smith Rowe has six goals and seven assists in 34 appearances.
Willock has been excellent at Newcastle, helping Steve Bruce's men dodge the drop with five goals in eight starts for the Magpies since making the loan move in January.
