Wenger sees Nelson and Maitland-Niles stepping up for Gunners

Arsene Wenger is renowned for giving youth a chance and the Arsenal boss has pinpointed Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles as two midfield tyros he expects to step up next season.

The likes of Jack Wilshere, Hector Bellerin, Alex Iwobi and Kieran Gibbs have all graduated from the Gunners academy to the first-team in recent years.

Maitland-Niles, 19, is comfortable in central midfield or on the wing and spent the 2015-16 campaign on loan at Championship Ipswich.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Nelson’s raw pace means he is able to play in almost any attacking position, and Wenger has confirmed the duo will be part of his first-team squad at the Emirates Stadium next term.

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“We have some young players who will join the squad next season,” said Wenger. “Like Reiss Nelson, like Ainsley Maitland-Niles already. So they are two players.

“We have quality players who might have a chance next season and hopefully we will be able to do that again because that’s part of the DNA of the club as well.

“The first quality we have that will be needed is to keep the [first-team] players together. The team has learned a lot, but to transfer that into the new season the first ingredient and the first request is that they stay together, that they fight together.

“That’s basically my answer – let’s keep them all together.”