Online Reporter
LONDON. – Mikel Arteta has dreams of winning the Premier League with Arsenal’s very own Class of ’92.
Under the mentorship of Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United began to dominate English football from 1992 with academy stars like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Gary and Phil Neville.
By the end of the 2002-03 campaign, that group of Fergie Fledglings had won eight Prem titles, three FA Cups and one Champions League crown.
Back in August, with 23-year-old Bukayo Saka, his only Hale End starting XI representative, Arteta said: “I want to have a team that’s half academy, half foreign and win the Premier League and Champions League consistently.”
At the time, it sounded like a far-fetched press conference soundbite.
Six months on, and Arteta’s Class of ’24 are making headlines in 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly.
After joining the seniors on a pre-season tour of the States last summer, Lewis-Skelly has quickly become a cult hero from left-back, leapfrogging experienced pros like Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Midfielder Nwaneri has been around Arteta’s squad for a few years now, making his name in September 2022 as the youngest-ever Prem debutant at 15 years and 181 days before another cameo off the bench at West Ham in February 2024.
But this season, the pair have seized their moment together, taking on the challenges of the top flight side by side. Jack Wilshere − who managed both in Arsenal’s U18s − previously suggested their immense talent was “uncoachable” at times.
They have already made a combined 41 first-team appearances this term. Nwaneri has seven goals in 22 games. Lewis-Skelly has one goal in 19 games. − The Sun
