Unai Emery's time at Arsenal can hardly be viewed as a success, but the Spaniard did leave something behind the Gunners faithful to shout about.
The former Paris Saint-Germain boss was always always willing to put faith in young talent, though this was partly helped by the fact the Gunners had Europa League football at the time.
With plenty of group stage fixtures against significantly weaker opposition, Emery had the luxury of handing debuts to some Hale End stars.
Unfortunately for the famed knockout competition king, Emery failed to get a tune out of some of the more senior stars at Arsenal and this ultimately led to his demise. His fall-out with the club's highest-earner in Mesut Ozil became an albatross around Emery's neck and the mercurial midfielder outlasted the Spaniard at the Emirates.
With that being said, Emery's contribution to the development of players that remain in the Arsenal side to this day has not gone unnoticed. Though he has since moved on and is currently at the helm of Spanish side Villarreal, Emery's efforts with the Gunners are still being felt.
In the interest of balance, it is important to note that not every player he handed debuts to has gone on to be a fully-fledged superstar in the colours of Arsenal. Mirror Football has taken a look at the five youngsters he took a chance on in North London.
Julio Pleguezuelo
HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Arsenal have given Unai Emery more of a chance? Tell us in the comments section
The young central defender followed a well-trodden path in terms of youth development as he left Spanish titans FC Barcelona for Arsenal, much like Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin.
Unfortunately, Pleguezuelo failed to hit similar heights to the aforementioned duo and left the Gunners before Emery was sacked. He joined Dutch outfit FC Twente in the summer of 2019.
Things started strongly enough and the Spaniard received plenty of game time before disaster struck and Pleguezuelo ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament. His sole game for the Gunners came in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup against Blackpool.
Zech Medley
The lanky central defender endured plenty of loan spells while on the books of the Gunners, but appears to have finally found a home in the form of Belgian first division side KV Oostende.
Emery clearly took a shine to Medley, as he named on the bench for the visit of Leicester City in a Premier League game at the tail end of October 2018.
Just one month later he was handed his senior debut as he replaced Rob Holding on the hour mark against Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League. Loan spells at Gillingham and Kilmarnock swiftly followed, but it was clear there would be no real pathway to first-team football in North London.
Medley parted ways with the Gunners last summer after penning a four-year permanent deal in Belgium, ending five years with Arsenal in the process.
Emile Smith Rowe
One of two Emery debutants that can be seen regularly among the goals for the current Arsenal first team, Smith Rowe has enjoyed a meteoric rise since he was first handed Europa League minutes four years ago.
The attacking midfielder has gone on to play and score for the England senior side as a result of his stellar form for the Gunners. Smith Rowe's eye for goal and versatility has seen him become one of Mikel Arteta's most important players.
The 21-year-old was rewarded for his efforts at the beginning of this season with a bumper new deal as well as being entrusted with the responsibility of Arsenal's number 10 shirt.
Charlie Gilmour
Hopes were high for Gilmour when he was introduced off the bench for Mesut Ozil in the home game against Vorskla Poltava in November 2018, but the Scottish midfielder failed to make the grade.
Less than a year later, he had been released after 14 years with the Gunners after being spotted by Arsenal scouts at the age of just six. One day after his release, he was signed by Norwich City on a two-year deal, but his time at Carrow Road met a similar end.
After a season-long loan with Dutch side Telstar, Gilmour eventually upped sticks to Scotland to pen a two-year deal with Scottish Premier League outfit St Johnstone. The current campaign has seen him embark on yet another loan spell, this time with Alloa Athletic.
Bukayo Saka
Undoubtedly the biggest success story of Emery's short reign, Saka has gone on to be nothing short of a revelation ever since he made his debut in the same game as Medley.
The 20-year-old has proven he can be deployed in a staggering amount of positions and not let his standard drop regardless of the opposition. Saka is arguably the first name on Arteta's team-sheet and the Gunners joint top-scorer this season alongside Smith Rowe.
A fully-fledged England international, Saka experienced a unique kind of heartache last summer when he missed the decisive spot-kick for the Three Lions during the shootout in the final against Italy.
Remarkably, he has not let that phase him whatsoever and is currently in the midst of his best club season since he seamlessly made the switch to senior football.
