Ferdinand warns Arsenal they must match players ambition to keep hold of young talents

Rio Ferdinand has warned Arsenal that they must continue to match the ambitions of their young squad or risk losing them to other clubs.

Arsenal missed out on Champions League football for next season with a late stumble that saw north-London rivals Tottenham steal their spot in the top four.

Transfer gossip: Arsenal target three Premier League stars with £150m budget

Up until the final few weeks, it had been a good season for the Gunners with the Premier League’s youngest squad looking set to grab a top four finish.

Homegrown talent Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe shone for Arteta’s side this season as did fellow youngsters Gabriel Martinelli, Aaron Ramsdale and Martin Odegaard.

However, a capitulation in the final weeks of the season have raised doubts over whether the young squad will be able to recover and go again next season, or with further investment this summer can they go one step further.

Manchester United are the biggest flops of the season

Liverpool's quadruple dream is over but it was still a great season

There's no stopping Manchester City in the Premier League

Newcastle will go far under Eddie Howe

Arsenal progress but this season was a missed opportunity

Chelsea will look back on this season as a missed opportunity

Why is Frank Lampard being mocked for keeping Everton up?

Former Manchester United defender Ferdinand believes this is an important window for Arteta and Arsenal and it could go a long way to convincing those young talents to stick with the project.

Speaking on his Vibe with Five YouTube channel, Ferdinand said: “I think Arsenal have to do well in the next window, I think he’s put down some decent foundations. What he has got is a nucleus of young players who know what it means to play for