Homegrown players

[Callum]

Given our recent loss of Iwobi, Ramsey and Welbeck and plenty of others in recent seasons, I figured I'd write out what our current homegrown situation is. Premier League rules state we can register 25 players over the age of 21 each season, with no more than 17 of those being foreign. Our current squad is as follows

Homegrown (over 21)

1. Emiliano Martinez
2. Matt Macey
3. Rob Holding
4. Calum Chambers
5. Hector Bellerin
6. Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Non homegrown (over 21)

1. Bernd Leno
2. David Luiz
3. Shkodran Mustafi
4. Sokratis
5. Kieran Tierney
6. Sead Kolasinac
7. Nacho Monreal
8. Mohamed Elneny
9. Lucas Torreira
10. Granit Xhaka
11. Dani Ceballos
12. Henrik Mkhitaryan
13. Mesut Ozil
14. Nicolas Pepe
15. Alexandre Lacazette
16. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Under 21 first team players

1. Konstantinos Mavropanos
2. Zech Medley
3. Matteo Guendouzi
4. Joe Willock
5. Emile Smith Rowe
6. Reiss Nelson
7. Bukayo Saka
8. Tyreece John-Jules
9. Eddie Nketiah (on loan)

---

It's actually not as bad as I had thought it was. We only have 6 homegrown players over the age of 21, including two goalkeepers, but we've a lot of young talent who will qualify as homegrown players if and when they become regulars in the first team squad and go over that age. We do have our maximum number of foreign players currently registered, but with the likes of Mohamed Elneny and Shkodran Mustafi likely to leave, as well as one of Monreal/ Kolasinac, we should have room for new signings in January and next summer.

EDIT: Looks like we have 16 of our 17 allotted foreign players... I counted David Luiz twice.

I'll update this thread as the situation changes over time.

[Arsenal Tone]

Does Martinelli count?

Will Saliba count?

[Arsenal Tone]

Good to have two of David Luiz we can play one at CB and one at DM.

[Zenith]

Does Martinelli count?

Will Saliba count?

In order to be classified as homegrown a player has be on Arsenal's books for at least 3 years before he turns 21.

Saliba was signed in July and his birthday is in March, which would mean he'd be only a few months short of being at Arsenal when he turns 21.

With Martinelli it's even closer. He was announced in early July and his birthday is in June. When he turns 21 in 2022 he'd only be a few weeks short of being at Arsenal for 3 years.

Unless Martinelli signed a few weeks before he was announced and before his birthday, he too will not qualify as homegrown.

[Zenith]

I'm not entirely sure when that 3-year term starts, though.

There are two possibilities -

- At the date the player signs the contract
- At the start of a fresh contract year (July 1st)

Upon second thought, I do think it's the latter, which instantly disqualifies both Martinelli and Saliba who both signed after July 1st.

Hypothetically, even if it's the former, Saliba certainly didn't sign his contract before his birthday in March and has been sent on a foreign loan which also nullifies the possibility of him ever meeting the homegrown criteria.

[Zedie]

Likely departures next summer (imo)

Ozil
Mustafi
Monreal
Ceballos *
Luiz
Mkhi
Xhaka **

*ceballos - cant see us convincing him to give up his Real dream, plus I think we will end up going for a skillful power B2B ie a vieira type.

** Xhaka - i reckon hes an outside chance because the above list is pretty big for one summer and xhaka is still at a good age/contract length).

In

Upamenco - 18months / 12 months left on his contract so will be cheaper. Hopefully RB choke in the CL and BuLi come Jan.

Everton Soares
AM
CM

[Callum]

Good to have two of David Luiz we can play one at CB and one at DM.

[Callum]

Homegrown (over 21)

1. Matt Macey
2. Hector Bellerin
3. Calum Chambers
4. Rob Holding
5. Ainsley Maitland-Niles

5/8 spots currently filled.

Non homegrown (over 21)

1. Bernd Leno
2. Cedric Soares
3. Kieran Tierney
4. Sead Kolasinac
5. Shkodran Mustafi
6. Pablo Mari
7. Sokratis
8. Gabriel
9. David Luiz
10. Granit Xhaka
11. Mohamed Elneny
12. Dani Ceballos
13. Lucas Torreira
14. Mesut Ozil
15. Willian
16. Nicolas Pepe
17. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
18. Alexandre Lacazette

18/17 spots currently filled.

U21 first team players

1. William Saliba
2. Matteo Guendouzi
3. Bukayo Saka
4. Joe Willock
5. Emile Smith Rowe
6. Reiss Nelson
7. Gabriel Martinelli
8. Eddie Nketiah

---

As things stand, we simply have to sell. We have one too many non-HG players as it is, so we need to offload at least two of them to be able to bring in a replacement for Martinez (assuming he's non-HG, like that Icelandic fella). Torreira and Sokratis look most likely to leave at this point, I'd wager, so getting those two off the books would allow us to fill our 17th spot with a new goalkeeper.

If we want a new midfielder, like Aouar and Partey, then someone else needs to go—likely Kolasinac out of the rest of the squad, I'd wager. If we want both, then someone else we need to be shipped out (Elneny? Ozil?) or we'd have to unregister someone for the Premier League.

At the very least, 3 of our 18 non-HG players need to be sold before we can bring in a replacement for Emi and a new midfielder.

[Angelito]

We can play around the homegrown status by registering Nelson, Nketiah, and Willock.

Lucas is leaving, so that's that. We will also send Sokratis on loan if we are unable to sell him.

That's the problem solved.

Now, if we sign Aouar, we would have to make space for him from the non-homegrown quota. Kolasinac will help with that.

Don't see many issues arising.

[Sims]

Au revior Sokratis, Torreira & Kolasinac

Potentially Mustafi in early October

[Callum]

We can play around the homegrown status by registering Nelson, Nketiah, and Willock.

Lucas is leaving, so that's that. We will also send Sokratis on loan if we are unable to sell him.

That's the problem solved.

Now, if we sign Aouar, we would have to make space for him from the non-homegrown quota. Kolasinac will help with that.

Don't see many issues arising.

We don't need to meet the homegrown quota so they won't need to be registered. The issue is specifically the number of non-HG players you can have.

[Santi]

Kolasinac will go or Ozil won't be registered, simple.

[Arsenal Tone]

Has sokratis not already gone? Thought that deal was done ages ago?

[Callum]

Has sokratis not already gone? Thought that deal was done ages ago?

No. He was strongly linked to Napoli but talk is they will only make a move if they sell Koulibaly.

Mkhitaryan and Martinez are the only first-team players to have been sold this summer.

[Callum]

If we can shift Torreira, Sokratis, Kolasinac and Mustafi, then we'll have 3 non-HG spots available—perfect for Runarsson, Partey and Aouar.