Arsenal have always been willing to give opportunities to young players – but establishing themselves at the club is an altogether different challenge.
Arsene Wenger was particularly renowned for giving prospects a chance to shine in the first team, although earning an appearance in the Premier League was always trickier than getting a run-out in one of the cups.
We’ve taken a closer look at the 20 players to appear just once for Arsenal at the Premier League, excluding the likes of Perry Groves, who were Gooners for a number of years prior to the competition’s rebranding.
Runar Alex Runarsson
Iceland international Runarsson remains on Arsenal’s books – he’s currently away on loan at Belgian outfit OH Leuven – but we’d be majorly surprised if he returns to the Emirates to add a second Premier League appearance for the Gunners.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper made a handful of appearances as Bernd Leno’s back-up in the cup competitions during the 2021-22 campaign, whereby he received plenty of criticism for his shaky-looking displays between the sticks.
His one Premier League appearance came with a 20-minute cameo against Wolves after Leno received a red card, back in December 2020. Arsenal lost 2-1, although neither of the goals conceded came while Runarsson was on the pitch, while Runarsson wasn’t a million miles off a dramatic assist for a late equaliser.
Runar Alex Runarsson’s late freekick against Wolves.pic.twitter.com/glL9mZrC7U
— Harry (@RunReissRun) February 4, 2021
Lee Harper
“I found myself in a Roy of the Rovers-type story, which was just being in the right place at the right time,” Harper told us in 2018. “I started in non-league at Eltham Town, where I asked then to sign for Sittingbourne after playing against them.
“The next thing, Arsenal were watching our centre-half, Neil Emblem, as Sittingbourne were producing a lot of footballers at the time – four left for league clubs that year.”
Harper ultimately caught the Gunners eye and was signed for £150,000 in the summer of 1994. The goalkeeper had to wait until 1997 before making his debut in a 2-0 win at Southampton. At the end of that season, he moved on to QPR and spent the rest of his career in the lower leagues.
David Grondin
Signed from Saint-Etienne’s academy in 1998, Grondin was immediately loaned back to the French side and also spent spells on loan at Cannes, Beveren and Dunfermline.
The left-back was given a Premier League outing in a 0-0 draw…
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