As a schoolboy Bless Akolbire was widely seen as one of the standout players in his age group.
Akolbire’s first season as a scholar at Arsenal didn’t go entirely to plan as he wasn’t able to establish himself as a regular in the starting lineup at U18 level.
However, it needs to be taken into consideration that Akolbire’s 2022/23 campaign was ravaged by injury, which perhaps led to him taking some time to get up to speed last season.
A player with excellent technical ability who likes to push forward when possible, Akolbire usually operates as a central midfielder but he is also capable of making an impact when deployed deeper in midfield.
Last season Akolbire made 14 league appearances for the U18s, scoring once, but he was named in the starting lineup on just eight occasions.
In the upcoming campaign Akolbire will now be one of the older players in the U18 squad and the 17-year-old will be fully aware that he will need to hit the ground running as he looks to earn a professional contract.
Akolbire will aim to become a key player for the U18s and he will also be hopeful of gaining experience in the UEFA Youth League, a competition in which he was named on the bench last season.
Pre-season will be very important for Akolbire and if other players are involved with the first-team, there may even be a chance for him to train with the U21s, which could accelerate his development further.
Akolbire knows that he will face competition from younger players and those in his own age group but he will be determined to show what he is capable of.
Jeorge Bird's Arsenal Youth 