Arsenal face a summer of upheaval but the changes in Arsene Wenger’s side won’t necessarily come solely through the arrival of new players, as the Gunners are set to use their youth set-up once again to find the next generation of stars.

The Gunners have utilised their youth ranks successfully in recent years to bring the likes of Jack Wilshere, Hector Bellerin and Alex Iwobi into the first-team fold, with the trio becoming regulars in the senior squad, and Wenger has confirmed at least two players will make the move up to the senior squad this summer.

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that 17-year-old Reiss Nelson will join the senior squad after a fantastic campaign with the U23 side, with the attacking midfielder boasting 12 goals and six assists across 27 appearances for various youth levels, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will also make the jump.

Maitland-Niles is a name that Arsenal fans will be familiar with as the 19-year-old has accumulated 12 senior appearances for the Gunners in the last three seasons, making his debut in a Champions League clash with Galatasaray in 2014, and he’s excelled in the U20 World Cup- helping England defeat Italy yesterday to seal a spot in the final.

Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, Wenger confirmed that the pair will join the senior squad next season and left the door open for other excelling youngsters to also stake their claim for regular first-team football in the next 12 months.

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

“So 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.”

With academy graduates Kieran Gibbs, Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Bellerin all facing speculation on their futures at the Emirates Stadium, the promotion of young talents to the senior squad is set to be crucial for the Gunners in the next year.

Wenger also confirmed his desire to keep the majority of his squad intact for the forthcoming season, as the French boss aims to keep hold of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; all of whom have entered the final 12 months of their current deals.

“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. So that’s basically my answer: let’s keep them all together,”

Arsenal are expected to hand Oxlade-Chamberlain a new deal imminently, whilst offers are on the table for both Alexis and Ozil- as the Gunners await a decision from their star duo.