Mikel Arteta has given plenty of opportunities for young stars to glimpse the first team. Either through call-ups to the substitutes' bench or even in some cases minutes on the field.
Charlie Patino was given his senior Arsenal debut last season by Arteta and in the 3-0 win over Brentford, 15-year-old Ethan Nwaneri became the Premier League’s youngest-ever player. Although not everyone agreed with the decision, these moments can prove decisive in a young player’s development and future with the club.
In the lead-up to the Liverpool game, Arteta called up another star that perhaps few Arsenal fans will know about. Seventeen-year-old Bradley Ibrahim was promoted from the under-18s to the under-21s this season after standing out for Jack Wilshere’s side.
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Under Mehmet Ali, Ibrahim made his debut playing defensive midfield in a 1-1 draw with Wolves. This is his natural position, an area the senior side have been short in after the long-term injury to Mohamed Elneny.
When Thomas Partey suffered a short-term issue, Albert Sambi Lokonga deputised, although was exposed away at Old Trafford and has failed to capture the confidence of onlookers. With that in mind, Ibrahim took part in senior training ahead of today’s clash with Liverpool.
He was also absent from the under-21s and under-18s squads for their matches this weekend fuelling the possibility of being included in the senior matchday squad. Should Oleksandr Zinchenko be out, this thins the midfield options, although perhaps a left-back such as Lino Sousa would have been more sensical to cover the Ukrainian.
After Catalin Cirjan, Matt Smith, Marquinhos, Sousa, Ethan Nwaneri and Amario Cozier-Duberry, Ibrahim would become the seventh outfield player who started the season in the youth teams to receive a call-up to the senior squad. Little can be denied that Arteta is giving crucial experience to these starlets to familiarise themselves with the core game at the top level.
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