7 young Arsenal players who might thrive under Unai Emery

Arsene Wenger's 22-year reign at the helm of Arsenal Football club came to an end last season. Arsenal have identified 46-year-old Spaniard Unai Emery, who is incidentally as old as Wenger was when he took over at the North London club, to help the club transition through the post-Wenger era.

Ivan Gazidis, the Arsenal Chief Executive, spoke very highly of the former PSG boss. Gazidis mentioned that Emery was a unanimous decision as he fit the criteria Arsenal were looking for: Someone who can play progressive, entertaining football, cherishes the Arsenal values and had a reputation for developing players.

Regardless of what could be said about Arsene Wenger's legacy, Wenger always had a knack for discovering and developing young players who go on to become world beaters or at the very least very consistent footballers in their own right.

Unai Emery will be expected to continue this Arsenal tradition and he might just be very successful at it as well. Emery has been known to give chances to young and talented players who deserve it. Kylian Mbappé spoke of how Emery was responsible for his breakthrough in the PSG squad. Other youngsters like Adrien Rabiot and Presnel Kimpembe have also benefited from Emery given them opportunities in the senior squad.

Let's take a look at 7 such young and talented Arsenal players who might just get their break in the Spaniard's reign.

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#1 Vlad Dragomir

Vlad Dragomir will be looking forward to training with the senior squad

Vlad Dragomir was captaining the Romanian U-16 national side when he was scouted by Arsenal in 2015. Dragomir is a versatile midfielder. He is very comfortable on either flank and has been deployed down the middle as a central attacking midfielder as well.

The left-footed midfielder is often compared to Ozil and Wilshere for his movement with the ball and passing ability. He has very good vision, which allows him to float balls over the defense, slipping forwards through on goal. His off the ball work rate is also very good.

Dragomir has reflected that he needs a lot of strength to make it in the English league along with improved composure in front of goal. Although he is a long way from making it in the senior squad, Wenger had given the young Romanian a few chances to train with the senior squad.

Emery has spoken very highly of Ozil and how he is a vital and talented player. We can expect Emery to call Dragomir up to train with the senior squad and learn from talents such as Ozil and Wilshere. Here's a look at what the Romanian can do :

#2 Xavier Amaechi

Amaechi has the potential to become the pacey winger Arsenal needs

Xavier Amaechi joined Arsenal when he was 12 years old and has spent a majority of his formative years at the North London club. The Nigeria-born winger prefers to play down the right wing and has become an integral part of the Arsenal U-18s.

Amaechi is probably one of the fastest players in the Arsenal youth system. His pace and dribbling skills have seen him run past opposition defenders with considerable ease. He also has a penchant for scoring, finding the net four times in five appearances for the U-18s.

Given that Arsenal have parted ways with fast-paced wingers Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain last season, there definitely is a place in the senior squad for Amaechi and his pacey dribbling.

Amaechi recently signed a professional contract after his 17th birthday. Expect to see this young winger of Nigerian descent follow in the footsteps of Alex Iwobi and impress in the senior squad soon enough.

#3 Emile Smith-Rowe

Emile Smith-Rowe might just be the next best youth player coming out of the Arsenal academy

If there is a diminutive ball playing English midfielder in the Arsenal youth setup, chances are that he will be compared to Jack Wilshere. Emile Smith-Rowe is another player in the Arsenal U-18s being compared to Wilshere, but he looks like he might just live up to the billing. Wilshere himself seems to think so. Wilshere labeled Emile Smith-Rowe a bit special and also mentioned that he does not look out of place while training with the senior squad.

Emile is an agile and skillful playmaker who is capable of dribbling with the ball. Because of his direct style of play, he has been deployed down the wing as well. Emile is very technically sound on the ball and has an eye for scoring spectacular goals. He is also very precise from dead-ball situations.

The Londoner is not the strongest but is capable of marshaling the flank and tracking back whenever necessary. He has been at Arsenal since he was 9 and looks to be on the cusp of making it into the senior squad.

Emile won the U-17 World Cup with England last year and has immense experience playing regularly for the U-17s at Arsenal. His performances have attracted the interest of clubs like Barcelona and Spurs. Emile has turned them down to stay at Arsenal, endearing himself to the Arsenal faithful. If what we have said about him isn't enough to get you excited for what is yet to come, then watch the youngster in action yourself:

#4 Ben Sheaf

Ben Sheaf is a versatile young player looking to break into the senior squad

Ben Sheaf was a youth player with West Ham before he was signed by Arsenal when he turned 14. Sheaf is a versatile player and has played both as a central midfielder and a center back for the Arsenal youth teams.

Sheaf is a composed presence on the ball and has a very good ability to read the game. Wenger spoke very highly of the young Englishman and said that Sheaf was always ahead of the game. Sheaf's ability to read and anticipate the next move in the game ensures that he is capable of wonderful interceptions and tackles as well.

Sheaf is highly rated at Arsenal. Arsenal offered him two contracts last year to secure his future with the North London club. Sheaf has already made his senior debut against Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League.

Sheaf went out on loan to Stevenage in League 2 in the second half of last season to get some first team experience under his belt and also to toughen him up for the English Premier League. Expect the versatile player to play some role under Emery, in the seasons to come.

#5 Eddie Nketiah

Nketiah celebrates scoring the winner against Norwich City for the senior squad

Arsenal youth prospects do not get any more exciting that Eddie Nketiah. Nketiah scored a brace against Norwich City in only the second game he played for the senior squad, saving Arsenal from a potentially embarrassing loss in the League Cup. What a way to announce your entry into the senior squad.

Nketiah is a Londoner too and had spent his early years at Chelsea, but was released at the U-14 level. He was snapped up by Arsenal in what seems to have been a very astute deal.

Nketiah has found himself scoring goals consistently at every level he has played at Arsenal. Last season he scored 10 goals in 12 appearances for Arsenal in the Premier League 2. The previous season, Nketiah scored 15 goals in 16 appearances for the U-18s and 12 goals in 26 appearances for the U-23s.

He is blessed with pace and strength and has very good movement off the ball, everything a striker needs to make it in the big leagues. Nketiah has amazing role models to learn from in the senior squad in Lacazette and Aubameyang. Expect the young striker to do his best to get called up to the senior squad soon enough under Emery as well.

#6 Reiss Nelson

Reiss Nelson is a bright prospect set to become a regular at Arsenal

Reiss Nelson is one of Arsenal's brightest prospects at the moment. The young English winger joined Arsenal when he was 9 years old and has steadily progressed through the ranks in the academy.

Reiss Nelson is a pacey winger, naturally inclined to play in the left wing. He is a balanced dribbler of the ball and is simply an exciting young player unburdened by the experience of professionals.

He made his Premier League debut for Arsenal against Southampton and was wonderful and exciting to watch. He managed to even play in a few Europa league games for Arsenal under Wenger.

The young Londoner is looking to extend his contract which is currently set to expire in the summer of 2019 and remain at the North London club. Expect this exciting young winger to feature under Unai Emery.

#7 Ainsley Maitland-Niles

AMN, as he is affectionately called, has already established himself in the senior squad

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is maybe an exception in this compilation of prospects as he has already established himself in the senior squad. Ainsley is a versatile young player who has played in a multitude of positions for Arsenal.

He has started in central midfield, right wing back and left back last season for Arsenal. Although he has impressed at left-back when he deputized for Nacho Monreal, his natural position is central midfield and he would love to play in the middle of the park.

He has a cool head on his shoulders and the legs to be a box-to-box midfielder. He impressed in Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United last season and was voted the man of the match. He held his own against a United midfield containing the likes of Pogba and Matić.

Ainsley is a bonafide talent at Arsenal. But Arsenal must be careful not to deploy him too many times away from his favored position. This had previously led to players like Oxalad-Chamberlain to leave the North London club. Emery is known to love strong midfielders. He bought Nzonzi at Sevilla and turned him into a world-class talent. Maybe at Arsenal, he can help Ainsley improve his game at his favored position and mold him into an all-action midfielder like Nzonzi.