Arteta praises ‘versatile’ youngster after unexpected Arsenal debut

An Arsenal academy product impressed the manager in his first appearance for the senior team in the Carabao Cup game against Brentford.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his satisfaction at providing young talent Charles Sagoe Jr with a chance to shine in his first-team debut.

Sagoe Jr, an academy product, started in Wednesday’s 1-0 win at Brentford in the Carabao Cup. The 19-year-old earned his place through consistent performances in the youth teams. He proceeded to star alongside fellow graduates Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson, who scored the match-winning goal.

“Chaz was probably one of the most consistent players we’ve had in the under-23s for a few months,” Arteta said of Sagoe Jr.

“He’s been training with us quite a lot, and it’s about giving opportunities to people.”

What is Sagoe Jr’s position?

Describing Sagoe Jr’s versatility, Arteta noted, “He’s a winger. He plays off the right, off the left, he’s played as a nine as well this season [for] quite a lot of minutes so he’s quite versatile in those positions. It’s great to have him around and see how he develops.”

For the Brentford match, Arteta took the opportunity to rest key players. The coach made eight changes to the line-up that drew 2-2 against Tottenham at the weekend.

Players like captain Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, and Oleksandr Zinchenko were on the bench. Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba, and David Raya had a rest.

The Gunners will next face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League.