Arsenal have had their outlook changed since Mikel Arteta’s rein, with the Spaniard reconnecting the squad with the core values of the club to conjure up a stronger work environment.
Gone are the days when high-profile names saw the Emirates as a stepping stone in their career, as Arteta’s current wave of stars are opting to commit their future to the project that the former midfielder is building.
An area of development that the manager has put a lot of work into is the objective to give young players vital roles in the side, as communicated by the Gunners boasting the second-youngest squad in the Premier League.
As relayed by Football365, the north Londoners have just one player over the age of 25 in their favoured 11, with newly summoned David Raya being the oldest in the strongest rotation at 28-years-old.
With an average age of 24.1 in the current squad, Arteta’s young team haven’t let their age define their quality and experience as the Spaniard watched his side go toe-to-toe with Manchester City, missing out on the club’s first Premier League title since 2004 by five points.
The good times are rolling once again in N5 after some years of mediocrity, with a lot of Arsenal’s success being attributable to their youthful revamp.
There is an abundance of young talent in the ranks at Hale End, as some prospects wait in the wings to get their chance to showcase their ability to the manager, with one player from the academy given the opportunity to shine just this week.
Who is Charles Sagoe Jr?
Last Wednesday night, 19-year-old Charles Sagoe Jr was named in the starting 11 to face Brentford in the Carabao Cup at the Gtech Community Stadium, in what was his first taste of senior football in red and white.
Prior to Wednesday, Sagoe Jr’s only association with the first team was being named on the bench against Sporting CP in the Europa League last season, where he played the evening out as an unused substitute.
It’s been a journey of hard work and persistence for the London-born forward, who joined the Hale End academy aged 11 in 2015 from Fulham, and has since progressed through the ranks in north London.
Described on Arsenal’s official site as a “composed and intelligent” player, the teen is utilised most prominently on the left wing, with the capability to play in both central attacking midfield and as a number nine.
The teen has recorded 72 appearances for the Gunners at both U18 and U21 level, with his one senior appearance hopefully marking the start of a special adventure for the wide player at the Emirates.
How much does Charles Sagoe Jr earn?
In the summer of 2022, Sagoe Jr signed his first professional contract at Arsenal, a moment of his career that he dubbed an “amazing feeling” after spending seven years developing to hit such a milestone.
The winger touched upon the project that is being built beyond the academy at the club, telling the club’s media that he wishes to “be a part of” the development of young players at the Emirates under Arteta.
Earning a reported £2.4k-per-week representing the Gunners, the starlet is on the right path to progress in north London, with plenty of stars that have graduated Hale End to look up to and to follow the paths of.
How much is Charles Sagoe Jr worth?
As recorded by Football Transfers, the 19-year-old has a current expected transfer value (xTV) of €0.8m (£700k), which is a less exciting figure to others at the club, however, one that epitomises the journey he is on.
Now worth an eye-watering €102.5m (£88.7m), fellow academy graduate Bukayo Saka took the exact path that Sagoe Jr is exploring, reinforcing just how quickly value can rise and careers can change.
Saka made his senior debut in the winter of 2018, where that summer he was valued around the €3.3m (£2.8m) mark, a figure that was quickly abolished after just a year as it rose to €9.1m (£7.8m) by the summer of 2019.
Since his 22 minute cameo against Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League, the PFA Young Player of the Year’s status at Arsenal has monumentally changed, with him being the driving force behind the Gunners’ change in trajectory under Arteta.
Not many could have anticipated that a teenager valued at £2.8m would become the £195k-per-week sensation he is today, but all it took was one opportunity, and the forward took the challenge in his stride to inspire the next generation of hopefuls at Hale End.
Having made his first senior appearance, Sagoe Jr has completed the first step to his entry to the first team, and his £700k valuation could be poised for interesting reading in years to come.
What is Charles Sagoe Jr’s style of play?
As touched upon, the 19-year-old’s favoured position is on the left flank, with him being described by Arteta as a “versatile” attacker after his debut against Brentford.
In the post-match press conference, the Spaniard explained his decision to hand the Englishman his full debut against Premier League opposition, dubbing him “one of the most consistent players” in the academy of late.
The manager’s description of Sagoe Jr as being consistent was not wrong, with his tally of goal contributions over the past three campaigns fitting the demographic of consistency.
In the 2021/22 U18 Premier League campaign, the teen scored nine goals and registered three assists, followed the year after in the Premier League 2 with six goals and three assists, displaying that he can perform at the higher level of the academy set up in England.
In a feature with Arsenal’s media team earlier this year, Hale End graduate Reiss Nelson shared some words of encouragement to Sagoe Jr, explaining that he has “everything” it takes to become a winger in the first team.
Nelson, who joined the Gunners at the age of eight, hailed the U21’s star as “unpredictable” and a player capable of scoring and assisting goals, praise that has been reinforced by the starlet already this season.
In the 2023/24 Premier League 2, the forward has made an electrifying start to the campaign, having contributed to five goals in five appearances, scoring once and assisting four times.
The season has started in a fairytale way for the 19-year-old, with plenty of minutes still to play for in the senior team as time progresses.
What does the future hold for Sagoe Jr?
It’s one thing making your debut for Arsenal, and another thing making a difference, which is just what Sagoe Jr did against Brentford in the league cup.
Speaking on Sky Sports Soccer Special, former Premier League striker Glenn Murray was full of praise for the teen after the match, singling out him and goalscorer Nelson for their performances to see the Gunners advance in the tournament.
There is a long way to go for the winger to fully impose himself in Arteta’s senior squad, however, one element that the Londoner will not be short on is inspiration, seeing the likes of Nelson, Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe in and around the first team.
Saka was once simply a prospect and is now a Ballon d’Or nominee, highlighting just how far the pathway can lead once the door has been unlocked.
Arteta handed Sagoe Jr the keys to his future at Arsenal with his debut on Wednesday, allowing him to be well-poised to follow in the footsteps of those who stood there before him.