If someone tells you Arsenal lack talent and squad depth, ignore them. In fact, the Gunners have more talent than we need right now, as the club have sent many exciting youngsters away on loan.
Some are away in order to get the taste of professional football in lower leagues, some are pushing for more first-team opportunities than they could expect at Arsenal this season.
When you look at our loanee list, you get a feeling that they could form a decent team if put together—and that's exactly what we did.
Arsenal loanees XI: Iliev; Osei-Tutu, Saliba, Mavropanos, Kolasinac; Sheaf, Guendouzi, Torreira; Maitland-Niles, John-Jules, Willock
Dejan is technically not on loan anymore as he returned to Arsenal in late January after an unsuccessful spell at Shrewsbury. The (North) Macedonian failed to establish himself as a first-choice goalie at the League One side, he's already 25 and is behind Leno, Runarsson, Ryan and younger Academy keepers Hein, Okonkwo and Hillson in the pecking order. An Emi Martinez-esque fairytale rise to the first team is getting less and less likely. We don't think Iliev will stay at Arsenal beyond this season.
First-team future at Arsenal: Unlikely
The right-back was supposed to make a leap in quality this season after enjoying a brilliant spell in the 2. Bundesliga at VfL Bochum last summer. However, things did not go as planned. He moved to Cardiff on loan but picked up a devastating hamstring injury in October. He was supposed to recover by mid-January but suffered a setback; he is now expected to be available in March at the earliest. At the age of 22, this injury could be detrimental to his progress. Arsenal are also well-equipped in the right-back department so we don't think Jordi stands a big chance of making it in the Gunners' senior squad.
First-team future at Arsenal: Unlikely
The 19-year-old is impressing in France after coming back to his homeland on a six-month loan with OGC Nice. He has already given three Arteta-slamming interviews and it raises a huge question mark over his Arsenal future. But Saliba is a quality player, and he will certainly add a lot to this Gunners side—so in the end, it's going to be about carefully managing and getting the best of this exciting talent.
First-team future at Arsenal: Yes
A no-nonsense centre-back, Konstantinos was recently described as "gladiator", "monster", "tough dog" by the Stuttgart manager. Not exactly the kind of praise we're used to, but we do lack this kind of mentality in the current Gunners side. We're not sure Mavro is up to the Arsenal standard defensively (just one clean sheet in 9 Bundesliga games, 16 goals conceded) and the Gunners will have to make a final decision on his future in the summer when he comes back from Germany.
First-team future at Arsenal: Unlikely
The Bosnian arrived at Schalke 04 to great fanfare as the Miners are fighting against relegation, and helped them put an end to their 30-game (!) winless run. He was immediately given the captain's armband and Schalke are desperate to keep him but it will probably depend on whether they manage to stay up in the Bundesliga. No matter what his Schalke prospects are, it's very likely he has already played his last game for Arsenal as Kieran Tierney is miles ahead of him and the Gunners are already looking for another left-back.
First-team future at Arsenal: Unlikely
The defensive midfielder rarely generates headlines with his performances but he is quietly and reliably doing his job for Coventry. There is a clause in his loan agreement that allows Coventry to sign him on a permanent basis. Ben is probably still not good enough for the Gunners though we could see him developing into a Mo Elneny-type of player if given enough time.
First-team future at Arsenal: Unlikely
At the beginning of this season, it looked as if the curly-haired Frenchman had burned all bridges with Mikel Arteta as Arsenal were desperate to offload him after the Neal Maupay incident. Matteo is enjoying a rather successful campaign at Hertha in terms of his individual form. However, he probably did not envision himself fighting against the relegation in the Bundesliga when he was a first-team player at Arsenal just a year ago. There is a chance Guendo comes back to Arsenal and finds his way back into Arteta's plans as Arsenal reportedly have not completely given up on him yet.
First-team future at Arsenal: Yes
The diminutive midfield dynamo shone brightly in Serie A and had a blast of a first season at Arsenal but has faded in the 2019–20 campaign. Mikel Arteta likes versatile players, and the Uruguayan enforcer does not fit the profile—which makes it very likely he'll wave goodbye to the Gunners this summer. This term, he's been a rotation player at Atletico Madrid, making 11 La Liga appearances.
First-team future at Arsenal: Unlikely
Ains is an enigma. A player with a skillset perfect for a full-back, he is desperately trying to prove that he should be considered a midfielder. A huge talent, glimpses of which we have seen in the FA Cup final and the Community Shield victories, AMN probably could probably be of use to Arsenal—or could be sold to the highest bidder this summer if Mikel Arteta decides he's had enough of the Hale End graduate's stubbornness.
First-team future at Arsenal: Yes
The 19-year-old striker impressed in the U23s, forming a strong attacking partnership with Folarin Balogun. However, injuries have prevented him from translating his Academy form to senior football. He is technically still on loan at Doncaster Rovers but has returned to Arsenal to receive treatment from a hamstring injury he sustained in January. Tyreece has not signed a new contract yet but is still well-regarded by the club staff, so we expect him to feature in the Gunners' long-term plans.
First-team future at Arsenal: Yes
The versatile youngster was seen as a utility player by Mikel Arteta, who used him in almost every position on the pitch, from right wing-back to left forward. The arrival of Martin Odegaard saw him drop down the pecking order at the Emirates and he decided to join Newcastle on an 18-month loan. He will get valuable Premier League experience with Geordies and will hopefully come back ready to play a bigger part at Arsenal. And he got off to a dream start in Tyneside, scoring in Toon's 3-2 win against Southampton.
First-team future at Arsenal: Yes
