Arsenal wonderkid Bukayo Saka has thrilled this season but what happened

EXPECTATION 

Arsenal wonderkid Bukayo Saka has thrilled this season but what happened to five Gunners starlets who didn’t live up to the hype?

Arsenal’s academy is one of the most revered in the country, having produced some excellent players in recent years.

It has helped produced players like Ashley Cole and Hector Bellerin who have gone on to be key members of the Gunners’ squad.

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6Bukayo Saka has been excellent for Arsenal this season, playing in his unnatural left-back role in the absence of Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac

The current crop promises to be one of the most exciting yet with Bukayo Saka, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson impressing in the first-team.

Saka is even vying for a place in Gareth Southgate’s England team with his recent performances.

Mikel Arteta seems willing to give some of the youngsters their chance and that is exactly what the fans will want to see.

For every success story there are dozens who did not make the grade. There are some players who are hailed as the next best thing and anything short of that leads to disappointment.

talkSPORT.com has taken a look at five promising youngsters at Arsenal who never lived up to their hype.

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Jeremie Aliadiere

The striker was hailed as the next Nicolas Anelka when he joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old but never lived up to that billing.

He was signed in 1999 but always found chances limited in the first-team thanks to Thierry Henry.

Aliadiere made 29 Premier Leagueappearances but scored just once before eventually leaving for Middlesbrough in 2007 on a £2million deal.

He also had loan spells at Celtic, West Ham and Wolves but failed to make an impact.

After being released by Boro in 2010, he started training with Arsenal in a bid to get fit and find a new club.

He joined Lorient on a free transfer and enjoyed the best spell of his career hitting 31 goals in 83 games.

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6Jeremie Aliadiere was once hailed as the next Nicolas Anelka, but couldn’t get his Arsenal career off the ground

Fran Merida

The Spaniard drew comparisons with Cesc Fabregas after following his compatriot to the Gunners in 2005 from Barcelona.

Big things were expected of the midfielder with Wenger describing him as ‘an absolutely amazing player’.

He failed to live up to the hype, though, and never managed to establish himself as a regular in the first-team.

Merida joined Atletico Madrid in 2010 and currently plays for Osasuna.

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6Fran Merida joined Arsenal from Barcelona and it was hoped he could follow in the footsteps of Cesc Fabregas

David Bentley

Once described as David Beckham’s heir due to natural talent and confidence.

He progressed through the youth ranks but only made one appearance for the Gunners.

Bentley did start to fulfil his promise at Blackburn and won a handful of England caps before joining Tottenham.

Arsenal fans will mostly remember him for the 40-yard screamer he scored in the north London derby in a 2008 thriller that ended 4-4 – just a shame it was against them.

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6David Bentley was touted as the next David Beckham and ended up joining north London rivals Spurs

Jermaine Pennant

Arsenal spent and astonishing £2m on Pennant when he was just 15 at Notts County, a record sum for a trainee.

The price tag inevitably brought expectation and the future looked promising when he netted a hat-trick on his league debut.

He did not score another goal for the club before leaving in 2005 where he went on to play for Birmingham and rebuilt his career.

He played for Liverpool and even started the 2007 Champions League final before playing out the rest of his career with Real Zaragoza, Stoke, Pune City, Wigan, Tampines Rovers, Bury and Billericay Town.

Jermaine Pennant was signed by Arsenal when he was just 15 for an incredible £2m

Emmanuel Frimpong

The midfielder joined Arsenal when he was just nine and rose up through the ranks starring in academy teams.

He won two Premier Academy League titles and the FA Youth Cup as well as earning call-ups to the England Under-16s and 17s.

Comparisons were inevitably drawn with Alex Song due to his style of play and even followed in his footsteps by joining Charlton on loan.

Frimpong’s career was beset with injury problems and left Arsenal in 2013 to join Barnsley. He became a bit of a journeyman by joining Russian sides Ufa and Arsenal Tula as well as elsewhere in Europe with AFC Eskilstuna and Ermis Aradippou.

He ended up retiring at 27 because of injuries.

Emmanuel Frimpong had to retire at just 27