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      Where Arsenal’s 2009 Youth Cup winners are now from shock early retirement to journeyman flop and even an accountant

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      IT’S a big week for Arsenal football club as the senior team get geared up for a potential title decider against Manchester City. But it’s not only Mikel Arteta’s men who have it all to play for this week.
      Sanchez Watt and Jack Wilshere proudly held the youth cup after a 6-2 aggregate win over LiverpoolCredit: Getty
      Some familiar names graced Arsenal’s first-leg line-up v Liverpool in 2009
      Arsenal’s U18s team have a Youth Cup Final against West Ham coming up as the young Gunners look to claim the trophy for the first time since 2009.
      That talented team beat Liverpool’s youngsters 4-1 and 2-1 over two legs with Jack Wilshere among the scorers.
      SunSport had a look at what happened next for the talented crop of youngsters and how their football careers turned out.
      James Shea
      James Shea started in between the sticks for Arsenal in both legs and conceded one in each game.
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      The keeper, now 31, has gone on to enjoy a really solid career.
      While he never made it into the Arsenal first team, he spent time at non-league Harrow Borough before getting a move to EFL side AFC Wimbledon in 2014.
      Three years later he joined Luton, where he remains to this day, with the Hatters aiming for promotion to the Premier League.
      Craig Eastmond
      Craig Eastmond made four senior senior appearances for Arsenal while also being sent out for a handful of loan spells.
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      He would jump ship permanently in 2013 and join Colchester before heading to Sutton in 2015.
      The midfielder remains at the League 2 club and has made well over 300 appearances for them.
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      Thomas Cruise
      Thomas Cruise retired in 2016 after three years with Torquay United.
      The former footballer, now 32, began a new and quieter life as an accountant after the ups and downs of the beautiful game.
      He only made one senior appearance for Arsenal but it was a memorable one.
      The left-back played all 90 minutes against Olympiakos in a 2009 Champions League group game only months after the Youth Cup triumph.
      Kyle Bartley
      Bartley has carved out a solid career West Brom since leaving ArsenalCredit: PA
      Kyle Bartley is a name that should be familiar to most football fans who regularly watch the EFL.
      The defender, 31, has been out and about since leaving Arsenal in 2012.
      He enjoyed a six year spell at Swansea which included multiple loan spells before settling with West Brom in 2018.
      Bartley has made 51 appearances in the Premier League.

      Emmanuel Frimpong
      There were high expectations for the now retired Ghanaian Emmanuel Frimpong.
      But ultimately the midfielder, now 31, would only make six appearances for Arsenal and failed to set the world alight in loan spells at Wolves, Charlton and Fulham.
      Frimpong would make brief stints in Russia, Sweden and Cyprus before calling it a day in 2019 due to persistent knee issues.
      Luke Ayling
      It did not work out at the Emirates but Luke Ayling has enjoyed a brilliant career.
      The defender, now 31, made 185 appearances for Yeovil over four years before a two-year stay in Bristol City.
      He then joined Leeds United in 2016 and was promoted to the top flight alongside future Arsenal star Ben White in 2020.
      Henri Lansbury
      Lansbury’s claim to fame is his League Cup goal at White Hart LaneCredit: Graham Hughes – The Times
      Henri Lansbury is best remembered by Arsenal for scoring against rivals Tottenham in the League Cup in 2010.
      But he could not use that moment as a springboard to success and would only make seven other senior appearances, despite Arsene Wenger predicting the midfielder would be a “big player” for Arsenal in 2009.
      He now plays alongside goalkeeper Shea at Luton Town.
      Francis Coquelin
      Coquelin made 160 appearances in Arsenal’s midfieldCredit: Rex Features
      Francis Coquelin was so highly thought of at Arsenal that he made his first-team debut even before the FA Cup Youth Final.
      He would go on to make 160 appearances for the North London club and was part of the squads who won the 2015 and 2017 FA Cups.
      Coquelin, 31, left for Valencia and then Villarreal and he would pick up a Europa League medal when the Spanish club beat Manchester United on penalties in 2021.
      Gilles Sunu
      Winger Gilles Sunu scored the opening goal of the Youth Cup Final first leg but could not make the breakthrough at Arsenal.
      He would leave for France in 2011 and play for several different clubs in the region before rejoining his local side Chateauroux in 2020.
      Jack Wilshere
      Jack Wilshere has impressed with his coaching ability and now leads the U18s after injuries cut his career shortCredit: Getty
      Fans will need little reminding of Jack Wilshere.
      His boundless ability was clear even before the Youth Cup Final and he would quickly emerge as a star of Arsenal’s midfield, making 35 Premier League appearances in the 2010-11 season.
      Persistent injuries unfortunately halted the star in his tracks and moves to Bournemouth and West Ham failed to re-energise his career. He announced his retirement last summer.
      But Wilshere would return to Arsenal in a coaching capacity and his career will come full circle when he leads the Gunners out of the tunnel for the cup final as the U18s boss.
      Jay Emmanuel-Thomas
      Despite scoring in the Youth Cup Final, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas would only make one Prem appearance at Arsenal.
      He then begun a journeyman career around the EFL and played for the likes of Ipswich, Bristol City and QPR.
      Since the beginning of this season, the 32-year-old has been playing in the Indian Super League for Jamshedpur.
      Rhys Murphy
      Rhys Murphy has had a busy career since leaving North London in 2012.
      He has made appearances at 15 clubs between League One and the National League and had a brief stint in the Dutch second division in 2012.
      Since 2021 Murphy, 32, has been playing up front for National League side Southend.
      Sanchez Watt
      Arsenal boss Wenger revealed himself to be a fan of Sanchez Watt, hailing the “street player” as “determined” and possessing good movement.
      But he would only make three appearances in the League Cup before leaving the club in 2013.
      After a number of years in the lower leagues, he finished his career at Wealdstone and retired in 2020.
      Conor Henderson
      Conor Henderson made one appearance in the FA Cup for the Gunners but spent most of his time out on loan.
      The midfielder’s most recent club was with Pirin Blagoevgrad in the top flight of Bulgarian football.
      Oguzhan Ozyakup
      Oguzhan Ozyakup is one of 10 Youth Cup winners who would go on to play for their country.
      The midfielder, now 30, has made 43 appearances for Turkey.
      He also enjoyed a decade at Besiktas after leaving Arsenal before joining Dutch club Fortuna Sittard.

      Cedric Evina
      Cedric Evina enjoyed a solid career in the EFL and gained promotion to the Championship with Charlton in 2012.
      After a few more years knocking around lower league football, he joined non-league Romford but decided to pursue projects outside of football after just a couple of training sessions. More

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      Mikel Arteta begged Arsenal to give me a job after retiring.. so I repaid the favour, reveals Per Mertesacker

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      PER MERTESACKER has revealed that when Mikel Arteta left Arsenal in 2016 he wrote a note telling the club to hire him.The message was sent to Gunner’s chief executive at the time Ivan Gazidis and urged him to find a spot for Mertesacker in the club.
      Mikel Arteta told Arsenal to hire Per MertesackerCredit: Getty
      Mertesacker returned the favour when the Arsenal manager job was availableCredit: Getty
      The German hung up his boots in 2018 and was appointed as the club’s academy manager, where he is still working.
      And five years on, he is now working with his former team-mate, who is the manager of the first team.
      He told the Evening Standard: “When [Arteta] left us, he left Ivan Gazidis a note saying: ‘You can’t lose this guy’,
      “[It was] in terms of: you are losing me now, you are asking me too late. Because he had promised to go to City.
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      “He told Ivan: ‘You can’t lose this guy. Just put him somewhere’. That was kind of the start, and we kept tabs.
      “And then between him and Unai [Emery], that was the situation.
      “I put a good word in for him, without knowing how good he was as a coach. I knew how good he was as a human being and how much I trusted him.
      “He called me when he didn’t get the job to say: ‘Thank you, I know you put my name forward’. A year and a half after when he then came, and Edu came, it felt like the right time.
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      “From there it has been a feeling of trust, that we both do the best for the club and it is pretty much aligned.”
      The 2018 World Cup winner with Germany had a taste of coaching following the sacking of Unai Emery in 2019.
      He was part of the team that worked with interim coach Freddie Ljungberg.
      But the three weeks in the coaching staff was enough for Mertesacker to know he wanted to continue with his role in the academy.
      He said: “I had the three weeks with Freddie Ljungberg and that was kind of the shock experience of my life, basically.
      “When I had to support him, that’s when I felt it was a bit overwhelming, almost coming back to my 15-year playing career – every week something is on the line, every result you have to take. I felt that was not something I wanted to pursue.”
      Arteta was then hired as manager and has led the club on a rebuild and has taken them to the top of the Premier League a year and a half after Mertesacker put in his good word. More

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      Newcastle eyeing transfer swoop for Blackburn wonderkid Adam Wharton with transfer guru Dan Ashworth huge fan

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      NEWCASTLE’S transfer supremo Dan Ashworth is personally tracking Blackburn’s  brilliant teenager Adam Wharton.Ex-FA chief Ashworth watched the midfielder, 18, last week and knows about him from England’s youth ranks.  
      Blackburn wonderkid Adam Wharton has been targeted by NewcastleCredit: Rex
      Crystal Palace and Ashworth’s old club Brighton are also keen on the Blackburn youth team product.
      Wharton is Rovers’ most saleable asset and fits Toon’s strategy of scouring the market for emerging talent.
      The midfielder has caught the eye after breaking into Blackburn’s line-up this season.
      The England Under-19 international has registered a total of one goal and two assists in 19 appearances across all competitions for Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side.
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      Newcastle are gearing up for a busy summer transfer window that could include a larger budget as the club are pushing for a Premier League top-four finish and Champions League qualification.
      SunSport revealed Arsenal ace Kieran Tierney poses as a top target with manager Eddie Howe looking for a new left-back.
      Tierney is behind Oleksandr Zinchenko in the Gunners’ pecking order but would still cost over £30million.
      Sources close to the injury-plagued Scotland international believe a summer Tyneside move is increasingly likely.
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      The 25-year-old has struggled for minutes amid the North Londoners’ Premier League title bid.
      The Scot has managed a mere total of one goal and two assists in 31 appearances with Arsenal this season.
      This comes after Newcastle ace Dan Burn came in for stinging criticism from fans. More

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      Newcastle planning £30m transfer swoop for out-of-favour Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney

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      NEWCASTLE are confident of landing Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney with Eddie Howe on the lookout for a new left-back.The Magpies manager fiercely defended Dan Burn who has come in for stinging criticism from fans.
      Kieran Tierney has struggled for game time at ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Natural centre-back Burn, 30, has kept full-back Matt Targett out of the side but has struggled in recent weeks.
      Howe wants an upgrade with more attacking threat and Tierney tops the list.
      The injury-plagued Scot, 25, is behind Oleksandr Zinchenko in the Gunners’ pecking order but would still cost £30million-plus.
      Sources close to Tierney believe a summer Tyneside move is increasingly likely.
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      That could spell bad news for Targett, though the ex-Aston Villa man is pushing to start against Tottenham on Sunday — given Burn’s poor form.
      Yet Howe was quick to praise the 6ft 7in Geordie, saying: “I’m surprised if Dan’s getting criticised because that’s a severe underestimation of what he brings to the team.
      “He has been incredible. We didn’t plan the season with him at left-back — it happened through injuries and he got an opportunity.
      “He’s a slightly unusual presence there but his attitude and application have been the highest level.
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      “Sometimes you can’t measure what he gives.
      “We value Dan very highly in whatever position he plays and his versatility is important as well.”
      Howe has big calls to make after Toon’s 3-0 loss at Aston Villa last weekend.
      Although Newcastle still have the Prem’s tightest defence, conceding just 24 goals in 30 games.
      Barring the Villa capitulation, Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Burn have been a rock in front of Toon keeper Nick Pope.
      Howe added: “I’ve no problem changing it but I don’t want to make wholesale changes and lose the balance and solidity of a settled back four.
      “You have to believe it’s the right moment to make a change.
      “This back four has been outstanding. Does one bad day constitute a change? I’ve got to make that call.”
      Dan Burn has come in for criticismCredit: Alamy More

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      Arsenal target Moises Caicedo makes transfer U-turn in blow to Gunners as he reveals his ‘dream club’

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      BRIGHTON star Moises Caicedo revealed Real Madrid are his “dream” club, just three months after trying to force a move away to Arsenal.Caicedo has stood out this season in the Premier League and attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and the Gunners, who had a £70million bid rejected in January.
      Moises Caicedo revealed he is “dreaming” of joining Real MadridCredit: Rex
      Caicedo tried to force a move away to Arsenal during the January transfer windowCredit: Rex
      However, the midfielder revealed his “biggest dream” would be to join Real and win the Champions League.
      Caicedo told Carrusel Deportivo: “I like Real Madrid. It has always been my dream to play for Real Madrid.
      “I’m doing things very well now, so why not join Real Madrid one day and win the Champions League? That is my biggest dream.”
      This comes after Caicedo pleaded with Brighton owner Tony Bloom to let him join Arsenal during the January transfer window.
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      The Ecuador international tried to force a move away from the Amex Stadium with a controversial Instagram post.
      However, the 21-year-old was denied a move to North London and instead signed a new deal tying him with the Seagulls until 2027.
      Caicedo recently revealed: “I was really close to going [to Arsenal]. I suffered a lot.
      “I’m sure I’m going to have many more opportunities. That’s why I continue to do things well. [But] it was tough.
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      “At the beginning when I didn’t end up going, lots of people would make fun of me on Instagram.
      “People treated me badly. I didn’t check my social media because it would hurt me to see things.”
      Caicedo has amassed a total of one goal and one assist in 33 appearances across all competitions so far this season. More

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      Undercover Tottenham fan trolls Arsenal after going to watch ‘biggest bottlejob in history’ but it backfires

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      AN UNDERCOVER Tottenham fan was at the Emirates to witness Arsenal stumble to a draw with Southampton – but his prank has backfired. The Gunners had to rescue a point against basement club Southampton yesterday as their title charge continues to falter.
      One Spurs fan showed their true colours as they departed the Emirates after watching Arsenal stutterCredit: https://twitter.com/FBAwayDays
      The Spurs fan left happy, but Arsenal supporters are getting their own backCredit: https://twitter.com/FBAwayDays
      One unnamed Spurs supporter managed to get into the crowd in hope of watching his rivals fall apart.
      Fall apart they did before Bukayo Saka’s late equaliser.
      The fan records himself watching the game before departing just before the full-time whistle.
      He unzips his black jacket and green body warmer to reveal the Spurs’ cockerel badge on his replica shirt.
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      The man shakes a victorious fist at the camera as his caption declares: “Had to be there to witness the biggest bottlejob in history.”
      But Arsenal fans were determined to have the final laugh as they pointed out that the point means that the Gunners will certainly finish above Tottenham this season.
      One said: “Treated himself on St Totteringhams Day.”
      Another Arsenal fan said: “Came to watch arsenal finish above your lot and say we bottled it yet your lot have bottled the league since 1961.
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      While another tweeter added: “He’s literally celebrating St Totteringham’s day at The Emirates. It’s not even an NLD.”
      The draw with Southampton leaves Arsenal five clear at the top but they have played two more games than Manchester City.
      The two meet in a potential title decider on Wednesday. More

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      Fans share ominous similarity between Arsenal’s crumbling title bid and Liverpool’s famous slip in 2014

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      FANS have spotted an interesting parallel between Arsenal’s faltering title bid and Liverpool’s collapse in 2014. A wild game at the Emirates saw Arsenal score two late goals to salvage a 3-3 draw against basement club Southampton.
      The Arsenal players got together to take stock after a shocking opening 15 minutes against SouthamptonCredit: Getty
      But they have now dropped points in each of their last three matches and are at risk of being caught by rampant Manchester City.
      If Arsenal fail to win the title from what was a commanding position, they risk going down as one of the Premier League’s nearly-men like Liverpool in 2014.
      The Reds similarly strung together an unexpected title bid against Man City under Brendan Rodgers before unravelling in spectacular fashion in the final few games.
      Fans drew parallels last night as Arsenal went 2-0 down.
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      Oleksandr Zinchenko gathered his teammates for an impromptu huddle after Theo Walcott scored against his former club.
      And eagle-eyed viewers saw an ominous similarity between that moment and Steven Gerrard’s now famous huddle after Liverpool beat Man City in April 2014.
      The Reds saw off their title rivals in a pulsating game before the Liverpool captain told the assembled squad: “Hey, this does not f***ing slip now. This does not f***ing slip.”
      Gerrard would then literally slip two weeks later to give the ball away to Demba Ba as Chelsea won at Anfield.
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      In Liverpool’s desperation to close the goal difference between themselves and City, they would go on to throw away a 3-0 lead at Crystal Palace in the final nail to their title hopes.
      Reflecting on Zinchenko’s huddle, one fan wrote on Twitter: “Pretending like you’ve got it under control looks so much different from actually having it under control.
      “Remember when Gerrard did the huddle?”
      Arsenal will be praying that the moment does not prove to an omen in their own pursuit of the Premier League.
      The Gunners, who last won the crown in 2004, led the way for most of the season but have begun tripping over themselves.
      They threw away a 2-0 lead at Liverpool before doing the same against West Ham.
      Last night’s draw means they now have a five point lead over Man City and face Pep Guardiola’s side next.
      Steven Gerrard delivered some famous words to his teammates in 2014Credit: Sky Sports More

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      Arsenal fans say Happy St Totteringham’s Day for first time in SEVEN seasons and claim ‘normal service is resumed’

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      ARSENAL supporters are celebrating St Totteringham’s Day for the first time in seven years after mathematically ensuring they will finish above their rivals.The North London side have finished below their neighbours in the Premier League since the 2015/16 campaign.
      Arsenal are celebrating St Totteringham’s DayCredit: Reuters
      Last night’s draw with Southampton means Tottenham can no longer catch themCredit: Getty
      The Gunners suffered a blow to their title aspirations despite their late comeback to earn a 3-3 draw at home to Southampton last night.
      But even though they were left frustrated, that result at least moved them 22 points clear of managerless Spurs – meaning that their foes are no longer able to catch them this term.
      Even if Tottenham win all of their remaining seven games, they will still only finish on 74 points, with Arsenal currently on 75.
      St Totteringham’s Day was a concept created by Gooners in 2002 on fan website “Arseweb” but did not become well-known until around eight years later.
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      Arsenal ended up overtaking Spurs to finish second after their 4-0 win in the final game of the season against Aston Villa in 2016.
      Coincidently, that was also current manager Mikel Arteta’s final campaign as a player.

      But since then it has been Spurs supporters that have had the bragging rights – until now.
      And despite the frustrating draw last night, Arsenal fans have still been relishing the fact that they will finish above their rivals on Twitter.
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      One wrote: “Wanted three points but we’ll take the one. Happy St Totteringhams Day!”
      A fellow fan said: “Normal service is resumed.”
      Another tweeted: “Scant consolation but… Happy St Totteringham’s Day.”
      A fellow fan said: “Don’t feel bad Gooners at least it is St. Totteringhams Day.”
      Another tweeted: “Happy St. Totteringham’s Day. ‘Even if #Arsenal don’t win the title, we’ve had a real go at it, which is more than Spurs can say for the handful of seasons they finished above us.”
      The result also ensured that Arsenal will be in next season’s Champions League.
      The Gunners are five points clear of rivals City at the top going into their huge clash at the Etihad on Wednesday, with the Cityzens having played two games less. More