Arsenal have high hopes for Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and the Gunners coaching staff appear to be very impressed with his development this season.
The Gunners are really reaping the rewards of their Hale End academy.
Bukayo Saka is the ‘starboy’ from the Arsenal ranks but Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah have become first-team players too.
Add in the excitement around Charlie Patino, Folarin Balogun and Khayon Edwards and Arsenal fans can be encouraged about the future.
Arsenal have high hopes for Nathan Butler-Oyedeji
Mikel Arteta loves to bring Arsenal’s young players into first-team training at London Colney.
The likes of Zach Awe, Ethan Nwaneri, Charles Sagoe Jr, Catalin Cirjan and Taylor Foran are regularly spotted in first-team training.
Before taking on Nottingham Forest last month, Arteta brought up Nathan Butler-Oyedeji too.
Butler-Oyedeji had actually travelled for the Europa League clash against PSV Eindhoven as a spare man in case of an injury in the warm-up.
That showed how highly Butler-Oyedeji is regarded at Arsenal and the excitement is building.
Arsenal academy expert Jeorge Bird now reports that Gunners staff have been impressed with Butler-Oyedeji’s development this season.
It’s noted that Butler-Oyedeji is showing great progress in terms of his switch from playing predominantly as a winger to not playing as a striker.
The 19-year-old has only bagged one goal and one assist in 11 Premier League 2 games this season, which may not look all that impressive.
Yet four goals and one assist in four EFL Trophy games have underlined Butler-Oyedeji’s potential and Arsenal will hope that his development continues at a similar rate this season.
Butler-Oyedeji has been hailed for his ‘explosive pace’ on Arsenal’s official website and he seems to be adding more to his game now.
Whether Butler-Oyedeji can follow Saka into first-team stardom remains to be seen but he certainly appears to be heading the right way this term.
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