Former Arsenal academy director Andries Jonker has taken a swipe at his former club's youth development path.

Jonker, the Dutchman who spent two-and-a-half years with Arsenal before leaving the club in February 2017, has hammered the London club for failing to provide a pathway from youth team to first team.

Jonker said: “When I was at Arsenal, manager Arsene Wenger sometimes called up a few youth players for a couple of games in the League Cup. But when Arsenal had a league game a couple of days later, those boys were never in the squad. And in the next 50 games, Wenger would not pick them, either.

“So I have serious doubts if young talent are making the right step if they go to England at this moment. I would advise them not to go, but to play 100 games in first-team football on the continent first.

“Take Donyell Malen. At Arsenal, he was a big talent. But he left the club just in time. He realised he was going to end up in what I call no-man's land.

“Young players in England, who have huge talent, will only go and play in an Under-18 team. And, when they are improving, they then only go the Under-23 team. So Jadon Sancho went from Man City to Borussia Dortmund – and he is a sensation there. Reiss Nelson, of Arsenal, is choosing the same route. He is getting plenty of chances and minutes at Hoffenheim."