Former Arsenal ace picks out three Gunners talents he thought would reach the top

Former Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal has named three young players he was convinced would become stars at the Emirates - including Matteo Guendouzi and Chuba Akpom

Former Arsenal left-back Nacho Monreal has revealed his surprise at seeing several promising youngsters, including Matteo Guendouzi, fail to establish themselves at the Emirates despite initially appearing destined for stardom.

The Spaniard, who secured three FA Cup victories during his eight-year stint under Arsene Wenger, has since moved into player representation after hanging up his boots. In this role, he's been monitoring emerging prospects such as Arsenal's Max Dowman.

Reflecting on his time at the club, Monreal acknowledged he'd backed certain youth players to become integral first-team figures, only to see those predictions prove wide of the mark.

Guendouzi seemed particularly promising following his 2018 arrival from Lorient, racking up 48 appearances in an eye-catching first campaign.

Yet his relationship with Mikel Arteta deteriorated, and Monreal suggests the timing simply wasn't right for the midfielder to flourish.

Speaking to Ladbrokes, he said: "He was a really good number six who ran a lot, and was very good with the ball. But he came in at a really difficult moment for the football club, when you look back."

Monreal also held high hopes for Chuba Akpom, who is currently on loan at Ipswich from Ajax, having managed just a solitary goal for the Tractor Boys.

Despite being crowned the Championship's standout performer whilst at Middlesbrough, the ex-Gunner admits he "expected a bit more from him".

He said: "The first name who stands out to me is Chuba Akpom. He played at Ajax for a couple of years and is currently at Ipswich, so of course he's reached a very good level – but I definitely expected a bit more from him, simply because of some of the things I saw him do in training.

"When he came up from the reserves, I think we all saw something special in this guy. He was tall, he was fast, and even though he was so young and playing with some huge names, it all just looked so easy to him."

Another name that perhaps doesn't spring to mind as readily is Ignasi Miquel, who featured 14 times for the senior side.

The Spanish defender now plies his trade in Spain's second tier with Leganes, yet Monreal remains convinced he possessed all the attributes required to excel as a top-class centre-back.

"He never really established himself in the first-team squad and that was always a surprise to me, and I thought, 'OK, if he's not going to have a career here, he'll find another club at a high level', because he was aggressive, he was strong, he was good with the ball."