Whatever happened to #17… Moore, Miquel, Bartley, O’Donnell, Toral

TAFARI MOORE Signed scholarship: 2013. Arsenal apps: 0. Subsequent career: Plymouth Argyle, Colchester United (loan).

A hard-working right-back, Moore joined Arsenal from QPR as a schoolboy and went on to feature prominently for the Gunners at youth level.

However, the England youth international found it difficult to break into the first-team setup and was loaned out to Utrecht and then Wycombe Wanderers.

Moore left Arsenal in 2018 and ended up joining Plymouth Argyle, who later loaned him out to Colchester United.

IGNASI MIQUEL Signed scholarship: 2009. Arsenal apps: 14. Subsequent career: Norwich City, Ponferradina, Lugo, Malaga, Getafe, Girona (loan).

Tall centre-back Miquel was previously at Barcelona’s La Masia academy and joined Arsenal from Cornella in 2008.

Miquel featured heavily for Arsene Wenger’s side in different competitions and filled in at left-back at times, but couldn’t make a sustained breakthrough into the side.

A move to Norwich City followed but he barely played for the Canaries and then returned to Spain, taking in spells with various clubs. He is currently on loan at second division side Girona from Getafe.

KYLE BARTLEY Arsenal apps: 1. Subsequent career: Swansea City, Birmingham City (loan), Leeds United (loan), West Bromwich Albion.

Bartley arrived from Bolton Wanderers in 2007 and was often impressive for Arsenal at youth level, winning the U18 league twice as well as the FA Youth Cup.

The centre-back made his first-team debut against Olympiacos in 2009 and was officially promoted to the senior squad in 2012 but ended up leaving permanently for Swansea City shortly afterwards.

Bartley has subsequently featured heavily in the Championship for Birmingham City, Leeds United and now West Bromwich Albion.

STEPHEN O’DONNELL Signed scholarship: 2002. Arsenal apps: 0. Subsequent career: Falkirk, Bohemians, Cork City, Galway United, Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk. Retired.

Irish midfielder O’Donnell joined Arsenal’s academy in 2002 but left three years later without a senior appearance.

He then headed to Scotland with Falkirk before enjoying success in Ireland, winning the league with three different clubs, Bohemians, Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk (achieving the feat four times with the latter club).

After retiring from playing in early 2019, O’Donnell is now the manager of St Patrick’s Athletic.

JON TORAL Arsenal apps: 0. Subsequent career: Hull City.

It may seem rather strange now, but when Toral arrived at Arsenal from Barcelona in 2011 he was widely seen as a better prospect than Hector Bellerin, who made the same move at the same time.

While Bellerin has made many appearances for the first-team, Toral failed to make any (at least competitively), with injuries not helping his progress.

The midfielder produced some excellent performances at youth level and was loaned out on several occasions prior to joining Hull City permanently in 2017. Injuries, though, have continued to cause him much frustration.

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3 comments

    1. Bartley has done ok and will be back in the premier League next alongside Kieran Gibbs and semi ajayi

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