27 September 2023 , 18:10
1164
0
Charles Sagoe Jr is the latest Hale End graduate to be handed his Arsenal debut after being selected for the Carabao Cup clash with Brentford.
The 19-year-old was named in the starting XI in West London, with Mikel Arteta taking the opportunity to make some changes. But while the rest of his side is still teeming with experience, Sagoe Jr is the one hoping to follow a rich Gunners tradition.
During his time in charge, Arsene Wenger gave debuts to countless players in a competition often placed at the bottom of their list of priorities. Ashley Cole, Gael Clichy, Cesc Fabregas, Hector Bellerin and countless others were handed their senior debuts in the League Cup.
And Sagoe Jr will be hoping to be more Fabregas than Rohan Ricketts, whose only appearance for the club came in the competition. Described as "a composed and intelligent forward", he has been included in Arteta's squads before, but failed to get off the bench in last season's European clash with Sporting.
And he arrives in the first-team squad with a glowing recommendation from fellow academy graduate Reiss Nelson. Speaking earlier this year, Nelson said to the forward: "I’ve been watching you, I watch a lot of the U21 games and literally, I’m not just saying this because you’re here, you have everything to be an Arsenal winger.
Mikel Arteta's dream Arsenal line up as last-gasp January transfers are secured
"You’re unpredictable, you can move on your left, on your right, you can score, you can assist, you’ve got everything. It’s just about keeping your head down and not getting distracted or disheartened by anything that happens.”
He's also regularly been training with his senior colleagues and admitted he learned a few harsh lessons coming up against some of the Gunners' star defenders. "When I’m coming up against the likes of Ben White and Gabriel one v one it’s a much more challenging battle than what I’m used to," he admitted to the club's official website.
Sagoe Jr has been regularly called up to training with Arsenal's first team"They know exactly how to defend against me and because of their experience, they are smart enough to put themselves in the right positions. It’s the little details of my movements they’ll pick up on and it’s those fine margins that you need to learn if you want to play at the high level they’re at."
Sagoe Jr has plenty of role models on the London Colney training pitches, but he has revealed his love of the game was crafted by a love of Brazilian football. He added: "I remember being mesmerised by watching Neymar and Ronaldinho videos on YouTube and then going into the garden trying to copy their skills.
"The Brazilian players were the ones I looked up to – they always played with a smile on their faces and they made the game of football enjoyable to watch."