Five years ago, Arsenal handed new long-term contracts to five British players. Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were identified as the club's future "British core" - a stable of home-grown players who embodied the club's identity. In an era where top clubs have cosmopolitan squads, fans were excited at the prospect of more local players representing their club. At the time, the five players Arsenal signed up were first-team regulars with their primes ahead of them. The plan was a failure. Of the five, only Ramsey and Jenkinson remain at the club. The former is set to leave when his contract expires in the summer, while the...
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