Arsenal possesses some of the best young talents in the country. Scratch that, in the world. The Arsenal academy once famed for the production of stars that helped take the club to league titles went through a brief lull before rekindling its best practice.
The likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe are pivotal parts of the current Arsenal starting eleven and Kevin Betsy’s under-23s side has seen plenty of players earn places in the senior squad.
Charlie Patino has already earned his debut and scored for Mikel Arteta. Whilst Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand, Ryan Alebiosu, Zach Awe, Mika Biereth, Omari Hutchinson, Karl Hein and Arthur Okonkwo have all been called up to the senior bench.
The depth in the Arsenal team has been seriously trimmed by Mikel Arteta and Edu’s mass overhaul of the squad. Furthermore, the club has sent a large number of youth players on loan.
At right-back, Arsenal have Takehiro Tomiyasu and Cedric Soares. The latter has faced criticism in the past and was even linked with a move away in January to Atletico Madrid before they decided instead to move for Daniel Wass.
The aforementioned Ryan Alebiosu has played on the right for the youth side, collecting seven assists and two goals before leaving to join Crewe Alexandra on loan.
In competition with Alebiosu has been Brooke Norton-Cuffy. Returning from a long-term injury, the 18-year featured seven times for the under-23s before being sent on loan to Lincoln City for the rest of the season.
Having since broken into the side, head coach Michael Appleton has put high praise on the teenager.
"We’ve got a right back that we’ve brought in from Arsenal who’s not bad also," said Appleton.
"I think there’s going to be a lot of people who are going to be interested in Brooke between now and the end of the season.
"He’s a player that personally – and I don’t like singling out too many people, but I’ll be amazed if he doesn’t play in the Premier League."
Valued at £4.5 million according to Transfermarkt, Cedric Soares could make Arsenal a small financial profit in the summer after he signed on a free transfer in 2021 from Southampton.
Arteta then has two highly-rated young full-backs primed to fight it out for the back-up spot. Norton-Cuffy presents as the more natural choice having featured more regularly in a back four. Alebiosu, the more offensive-minded of the pair, has played mostly as a wing-back.
Although the 20-year-old is now also featuring at right-back in a back four for Crewe.
Meanwhile, football.london understands that Arteta has been notably impressed by Norton-Cuffy so far, possibly giving the younger defender an edge in the battle.
Perhaps the next opportunity for the pair to duke it out will be in pre-season and football.london has learned that the club is in discussions to play two matches in America.
Hector Bellerin is also set to return in the summer but with a year left and Tomiyasu the established starter, he too could and will likely go. Should Cedric indeed move on, the bulk of the financial investment for the summer should be concentrated on the central midfield and striking roles.
Therefore, having both Alebiosu and Norton-Cuffy can provide relief to the stress of strengthening even more positions should Arteta deem them worthy of a senior opportunity.
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