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Arsenal Talents That Got Away Show Unai Emery Must Give Youth a Chance

Jeff Reine-Adélaïde, Krystian Bielik, Ismaël Bennacer and Serge Gnabry have all left Arsenal in recent years. Photographs by AP and Getty Images. Composite. Jim Powell
Jeff Reine-Adélaïde, Krystian Bielik, Ismaël Bennacer and Serge Gnabry have all left Arsenal in recent years. Photographs by AP and Getty Images. Composite. Jim Powell
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Arsenal Talents That Got Away Show Unai Emery Must Give Youth a Chance

Jeff Reine-Adélaïde, Krystian Bielik, Ismaël Bennacer and Serge Gnabry have all left Arsenal in recent years. Photographs by AP and Getty Images. Composite. Jim Powell
Jeff Reine-Adélaïde, Krystian Bielik, Ismaël Bennacer and Serge Gnabry have all left Arsenal in recent years. Photographs by AP and Getty Images. Composite. Jim Powell

Arsenal’s lineup for their first game of the season against Newcastle contained a few surprises. Unai Emery was clearly keen to ease his new signings into action, with Dani Ceballos, David Luiz, Nicolas Pépé and Gabriel Martinelli all taking their seats on the bench at St James’ Park. The manager selected a team that included four players aged 21 or under. Ainsley Maitland-Niles (21) and Mattéo Guendouzi (20) were given plenty of minutes last season but the travelling fans would not have expected to see 19-year-olds Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson on the field.

We may not see that line-up again any time soon, but Emery’s selection was perhaps a sign that Arsenal do not want more promising youngsters to leave the club before they have been given opportunities to prove themselves in the first-team.

Krystian Bielik left Arsenal for Derby County this summer without so much as a League Cup start for the club. The transfer frustrated some supporters, who have seen a number of the club’s youth products make big impressions elsewhere over the past year. Bielik certainly did so while on loan at Charlton last season – his performances at centre-back helped the club earn promotion to the Championship – and some Arsenal fans were hoping the 21-year-old would be given a chance to impress in their defence. The £10m fee was considerable, but he may yet become one that got away.

Bielik is yet to play for Derby in the Championship yet this season but another former Arsenal youngster, Jeff Reine-Adelaide, made the quite the impression in his first game of the season in Ligue 1. Reine-Adelaide ran the show for Angers as they came from behind to win 3-1 against Bordeaux (who, incidentally, had left former Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny on the bench). The midfielder initially signed for the club on loan in January 2018 but Arsenal sanctioned a permanent deal last summer for a little over £1m. He would be worth a lot more now. The 21-year-old levelled the scoring on Saturday night, set up Angers’ third goal and completed a remarkable nine dribbles. He was the standout player of the weekend in the league.

Reine-Adelaide has thrived since moving to a more central position in France. He scored three goals for Angers in the last few weeks of last season and continued his good form in the summer, scoring a brace for the France Under-21s against Belgium in a friendly before setting up goals in matches against England and Croatia in the European Championship. Lyon were clearly impressed. They have agreed a €30m transfer with Angers for the player this week.

Arsenal may come to rue the day they let Reine-Adelaide leave and they should also be wondering whether selling Ismael Bennacer was poor judgement. The Algerian left Arsenal for Empoli in 2017 and became a first-team regular immediately. Within two months in Serie B, he earned his first senior international cap and he played a pivotal role in his new club’s promotion to the top flight that season.

He was unable to prevent Empoli from heading straight back down to the second tier but he made his mark among Italy’s elite. The dynamic midfielder won possession more times in the middle third than any other player, completed the most dribbles of any central midfielder and boasted the best success rate from said take ons in the league.

He carried that form into the Africa Cup of Nations this summer, starting every game to help inspire Algeria to their first title in 30 years, setting up three goals and being named player of the tournament in the process. Many Arsenal fans were keen to see the club sign the youngster back from Empoli, but Bennacer instead stayed in Italy, signing for Milan for £14.5m. Arsenal had sold him for less than £1m.

Then, of course, there is the most regrettable of the lot. Serge Gnabry has gone from strength to strength since leaving the Emirates. Sold to Werder Bremen for £4.5m in 2016 following a dismal loan spell at West Brom, the German would now cost 10 times that figure. He scored scored 11 goals in his first Bundesliga season, earning a move to Bayern Munich, who loaned him out to Hoffenheim. The forward scored another 10 goals in 20 league starts for Hoffenheim, earning a recall to Bavaria last summer. He scored 10 league goals for Bayern last season – the third season running he has hit double figures in the Bundesliga.

Gnabry is now a regular in the Germany team, for whom he boasts an outstanding record of seven goals in eight caps. He was named Bayern’s player of the year last season despite starting just 21 of his 30 appearances. Now 24, he looks set to be a key player for one of Europe’s elite clubs for years to come.

All clubs end up seeing players who they have deemed surplus to requirements come good at one stage or another, but Arsenal can learn from the experience and look forward rather than back. That means offering young players a chance to prove their worth in the Premier League, a principle set in motion at St. James’ Park on Sunday.

The Guardian Sport

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IOC Boss Coventry Hails Milano Cortina Games a Success

20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
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IOC Boss Coventry Hails Milano Cortina Games a Success

20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)

The Milano Cortina Olympics exceeded expectations despite a shaky build-up, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said on Friday, hailing the first spread-out Winter Games a success.

"These Games are truly ... successful in a new way of doing things, in a sustainable way of doing things, in a way that I think many people thought maybe we couldn't do, or couldn't be done well, and it's been done extremely well, and it's surpassed everyone's expectations," Coventry told a press conference.

It was the International Olympic Committee chief's clearest endorsement yet of a format that split events across several Alpine clusters rather than concentrating them in one host city.

Her assessment came after two weeks in which organizers sought to prove that a geographically dispersed Games could still deliver a consistent athlete experience.

The smooth delivery ‌comes after years ‌of logistical and political challenges, including construction delays at Milan’s Santagiulia Arena ‌and ⁠controversy over building ⁠a new sliding center in Cortina against IOC advice.

Organizers have also faced isolated disruptions during the Games, such as suspected sabotage on rail lines and protests in Milan over housing and environmental issues.

Transport concerns across the dispersed venues have been mitigated by limited cross-regional travel among spectators, though some competitors had to walk to the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in heavy snowfall that stopped traffic.

Central to the success of the Games, Coventry argued, was the effort to standardize conditions across multiple athlete villages despite the distances separating venues from Cortina d’Ampezzo to ⁠Livigno and Bormio.

Italian athletes’ performances also helped ticket sales, which amounted to ‌about 1.4 million.

"And the athletes are extremely happy. And they're happy ‌because the experiences that the MiCo (Milano Cortina) team and my team delivered to them have been the same," she ‌said.

Mixed relay silver medalist Tommaso Giacomel did, however, lament the fact there was no Olympic village near ‌the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena and that competitors were dotted around different hotels near the venue instead of in one place.

TWO OPENING CEREMONIES

Two opening ceremonies were held - the main one at Milan’s San Siro stadium and a more low-key parade on Cortina d’Ampezzo's Corso Italia, where athletes and spectators were within touching distance.

Feedback from competitors suggested the more intimate ‌settings had in some cases enhanced the Olympic atmosphere, Coventry said, taking the Cortina opening ceremony as an example.

The Zimbabwean, presiding over her first Games ⁠as IOC chief after elections in ⁠2025, framed Milano Cortina as proof of concept for future hosts grappling with rising costs and climate constraints, while acknowledging adjustments would follow.

"It allows us to really look at ourselves and look at the things that we have in place and how we're then going to make certain adjustments for the future," she said.

Beyond logistics, Coventry pointed to the broader impact of the Games, highlighting gender balance - with women making up 47% of competitors - and global engagement as marks of progress.

"But it's been an incredible experience and we're all very proud to have gender equity playing a big role in the delivery of the Games," she said, describing a "tremendous Games" in which athletes have "come together and shared in their passion".

With the closing ceremony in Verona approaching, Coventry said the focus would soon shift to a formal evaluation process, but insisted the headline conclusion was already clear.

"So we look forward to doing that and to learning from all the incredible experiences that I think all of the stakeholders have had across these Games, across these past two weeks," she said.

Sports

‘A Huge Mistake.’ Kompany Hits Out at Mourinho for Vinícius Júnior Comments

14 February 2026, Bremen: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich at Weserstation. (dpa)
14 February 2026, Bremen: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich at Weserstation. (dpa)
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‘A Huge Mistake.’ Kompany Hits Out at Mourinho for Vinícius Júnior Comments

14 February 2026, Bremen: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich at Weserstation. (dpa)
14 February 2026, Bremen: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich at Weserstation. (dpa)

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany has criticized José Mourinho for attacking the character of Vinícius Júnior after the Real Madrid star accused an opponent of racially insulting him during a Champions League match.

Benfica coach Mourinho suggested that Brazil forward Vinícius had incited Benfica's players with his celebrations after scoring the only goal in Tuesday's playoff match.

Vinícius accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of calling him "monkey" during a confrontation after his goal.

Mourinho also questioned why Vinícius, who is Black and has been subjected to repeated racist insults in Spain, was so frequently targeted.

"There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium," Mourinho said. "The stadium where Vinícius played something happened. Always."

Speaking on Friday, Kompany condemned Mourinho's comments.

"So after the game you have the leader of an organization, José Mourinho, who attacks the character of Vinícius Júnior by bringing in the type of celebration to discredit what Vinícius is doing in this moment," Kompany said. "And for me in terms of leadership, it’s a huge mistake and it’s something that we should not accept."

Mourinho’s celebrations

UEFA appointed a special investigator on Wednesday to gather evidence about what happened in Lisbon in Madrid’s 1-0 win in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs. Madrid said it had sent "all available evidence" of the alleged incident to European soccer's governing body.

Referring to Vinícius' celebrations after curling a shot into the top corner, Mourinho said he should "celebrate in a respectful way."

Kompany pointed out Mourinho's own history of exuberant celebrations — such as when he ran down the sideline to cheer when his Porto team beat Manchester United in the Champions League.

Kompany said Mourinho's former players "love him" and added "I know he’s a good person."

"I don’t need to judge him as a person, but I know what I’ve heard. I understand maybe what he’s done, but he’s made a mistake and it’s something that hopefully in the future won’t happen like this again," he said.

Prestianni denied racially insulting Vinícius. Benfica said the Argentine player was the victim of a "defamation campaign."

‘Right thing to do’

Kompany said Vinícius' reaction "cannot be faked."

"You can see it — his reaction is an emotional reaction. I don’t see any benefit for him to go to the referee and put all this misery on his shoulders," he said. "There is absolutely no reason for Vini Junior to go and do this.

"I think in his mind he’s doing it more because it’s the right thing to do in that moment."

Kompany added: "You have a player who’s complaining. You have a player who says he didn’t do it. And I think unless the player himself comes forward, it’s difficult. It’s a difficult case."

Sports

FIFA to Lead $75m Palestinian Soccer Rebuilding Fund

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'. CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'. CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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FIFA to Lead $75m Palestinian Soccer Rebuilding Fund

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'. CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attended the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'. CHIP SOMODEVILLA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

FIFA will spearhead a $75 million fund to rebuild soccer facilities in Gaza that were destroyed by the war between Israel and Hamas, President Donald Trump and the sport's governing body said Thursday.

Trump made the announcement in Washington at the first meeting of his "Board of Peace," an amorphous institution that features two dozen of the US president's close allies and is initially focused on rebuilding the Gaza strip, said AFP.

"I'm also pleased to announce that FIFA will be helping to raise a total of $75 million for projects in Gaza," said Trump.

"And I think they're soccer related, where you're doing fields and you're getting the greatest stars in the world to go there -- people that are bigger stars than you and I, Gianni," he added, referring to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was present at the event.

"So it's really something. We'll soon be detailing the announcement, and if I can do I'll get over there with you," Trump said.

Later Thursday, FIFA issued a statement providing more details, including plans to construct a football academy, a new 20,000-seat national stadium and dozens of pitches.

The FIFA communique did not mention Trump's $75 million figure, and said funds would be raised "from international leaders and institutions."

Infantino has fostered close ties with Trump, awarding him an inaugural FIFA "Peace Prize" at the World Cup draw in December.

At Thursday's meeting, the FIFA president donned a red baseball cap emblazoned with "USA" and "45-47," the latter a reference to Trump's two terms in the White House.

In FIFA's statement, Infantino hailed "a landmark partnership agreement that will foster investment into football for the purpose of helping the recovery process in post conflict areas."

The "Board of Peace" came together after the Trump administration, teaming up with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to halt two years of devastating war in Gaza.

The United States says it is now focused on disarming Hamas -- the Palestinian group whose unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack on Israel triggered the massive offensive.