Mikel Arteta issues Arsenal warning amid Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly transfer links

Mikel Arteta warned he will have no issue being ruthless when it comes to the futures of Arsenal 's academy products.

The Hale End production line has been a successful one for a long time at Arsenal and that has continued in recent seasons.

Bukayo Saka has become the star of this current side, while Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah are among those to have been sold for significant fees.

Arsenal will be open to selling first-team players this summer to fund further squad strengthening, with spending not expected to be on the same level as last summer's investment.

Speculation continues over the futures of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly in particular, with the BBC reporting on Thursday that it appears Arsenal will listen to offers for both players in the summer and would be looking for a combined fee of £100million.

Lewis-Skelly has started just once in the Premier League this season, while Arsenal were willing to let Nwaneri join Marseille on loan in January.

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Selling either player would represent pure profit to help comply with financial rules and the pair would likely attract plenty of interest.

Asked about the challenge of wanting to give academy players opportunities while competing for the biggest prizes, Arteta made it clear that there would be no preferential treatment towards them.

"It's part of us," Arteta said of Arsenal's academy system.

"At the end what has to define this football club is to seek for excellence and seek for the best, regardless if you're coming from the academy or abroad.

"If we can have players from Hale End, much better because the identity is there.

We grow with them and they know exactly what we're looking for.

"But at the end they have to earn it.

Not for a week, not for a month, for years.

Like anybody else, it doesn't matter what department or role you have in the club.

"You have to sustain performance and that has to be at the very highest level if we want to win and be where we want to be."