Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta continues to reap the rewards of the club's impressive production of young talent, with Hale End graduate Bukayo Saka having been a leading figure in the Gunners' title charge.
The England international – who netted for the Three Lions against Ukraine at Wembley on Sunday – already boasts a standout haul of 12 goals and ten assists in the Premier League this season, ensuring that the 21-year-old is the only player in the division to reach double figures for both metrics.
The youngster's rise from promising teen to first-team star has rubberstamped the benefits of promoting from within, with fellow forward Emile Smith Rowe another who looks set to have a big part to play at the Emirates moving forward, despite being hampered by injury this term.
For all the plaudits that are flooding the way of the "sensational" Saka, in particular – as hailed by pundit Alex McCleish – the focus for Arteta and co will be to ensure that the academy ranks continue to churn out exciting young talent over the coming years.
It would appear at present that there are a number of eye-catching gems who are just waiting to be unleashed in the senior set-up, with teenage centre-back Zach Awe one such asset who could be given a chance to shine sooner rather than later.
Who is Arsenal's Zach Awe?
The "promising" defender – as lauded by Layth Yousif – has been a standout presence at youth level in recent times, having notably featured 22 times in all competitions so far this term, scoring twice from his centre-back berth.
The highly-regarded 19-year-old – who signed a professional contract with the club back in February 2021 – has been on the cusp of the first team of late, having been training with Arteta's squad ahead of the Europa League clash with Bodo/Glimt back in October.
The London-born starlet may well be hoping to push for a regular role under the Spaniard in the near future, with the Gunners currently lacking quality, centre-back depth outside the first-choice pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel.
January arrival Jakub Kiwior was notably dubbed "embarrassing" by talkSPORT pundit Dean Ashton after making an error on debut against Sporting CP earlier this month, while long-serving dud Rob Holding has also looked unconvincing when he has been involved, with the Englishman having "made mistakes" over the years, as per pundit Darren Bent.
It remains to be seen what long-term future Holding will have at the Emirates, with the £40k-per-week earner having just over a year left on his contract and with The Sun only recently reporting that the former Bolton Wanderers man could be part of a mass, summer exodus.
If the peripheral figure is to depart any time soon, then promoting young Awe should seemingly be on the minds of Arteta and co, with the latter man having been hailed as a 'commanding centre-back' who has an 'impressive passing range and leadership qualities', as per the club's official website.
Such quality was evident during the former England youth international's four outings in the EFL Trophy earlier this season as he scored once and averaged 0.8 key passes per game to illustrate his prowess on the ball, while also proving a rock-solid asset at the back after averaging 4.8 clearances, 2.8 interceptions and 1.5 tackles per game.
Holding, by contrast, has looked far less impressive during his eight Premier League appearances this term, having failed to score or average a single key pass, while also averaging just 0.6 clearances, 0.4 interceptions and zero tackles per 90.
While Awe's displays were from just a small sample size, that impressive statistical record should indicate that has the tools needed to go on to flourish at senior level, with that move into the first-team ranks likely to help aid Holding's departure from the club.