Everyone present at our last training yesterday were really impressed with His performance, Even Saka confirmed it that the boy is good l, indeed we have never seen such a dangerously aggressive Academy player like Him before”, Jurrien Timber named ONE Academy player that is destroying them in training now
Everyone present at our last training yesterday were really impressed with His performance, Even Saka confirmed it that the boy is good l, indeed we have never seen such a dangerously aggressive Academy player like Him before”, Jurrien Timber named ONE Academy player that is destroying them in training now
Arsenal are currently having to work with just three fit senior forwards in their ranks amid a spate of injuries up front.
Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli are all currently on the sidelines for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta only has Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Raheem Sterling at his disposal at present.
However, Arsenal were able to make use of Mikel Merino up front against Leicester, to great effect.
Now, with West Ham coming to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, Arteta spoke of another player who could now feature up front.
Mikel Arteta says Nathan Butler-Oyedeji can play up front for Arsenal first-team
Arteta, speaking to the press on Friday, began by speaking highly of Merino’s traits in wake of his brace against Leicester.
The Arsenal boss then named three more players who could also feature up front – Trossard, Sterling, and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji.
“He’s a massive goal threat from positions that he can attack and arrive in the box,” Arteta said of Merino, as per the Evening Standard.
“The timing, he smells danger and how he can execute with many parts of his body as well.
“And the fact that he is very experienced and intelligent – if somebody was going to adapt to a new position then it would be him.
“It can be him, it can be Leo or it can be Raz and we have Nathan as well that can play there. We have other options.”
Who is Nathan-Butler Oyedeji?
Butler-Oyedeji is a 22-year-old forward who has been impressing for Arsenal’s Under-21s this season.
He has seven goals and six assists from just 10 Premier League 2 outings, along with one goal in the EFL Trophy.
Described in glowing terms on Arsenal’s website, Butler-Oyedeji is a forward whose pace causes havoc against the opposition defence.
“A versatile and dynamic forward, Nathan’s is capable of playing anywhere across the front line, using his explosive pace to devastating effect when running at defenders,” they write.
