- 22 hours ago
Who is Charles Sagoe Jr.? Arsenal's next wonderkid
Arsenal wonderkid Charlies Sagoe Jr. was handed his senior debut as the Gunners beat Brentford 1-0 in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, but what else is there to know about the Hale End youngster?
Sagoe Jr. lined up on the right flank opposite goalscorer Reiss Nelson with Mikel Arteta deciding to rotate his team with the Premier League and Champions League also to consider.
The young winger impressed for 68 minutes before making way for Gabriel Jesus, forcing Mathias Jorgensen into a poor pass in the build-up to Nelson's early goal, and Areteta was left delighted with his contribution.
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"Chaz was probably one of the most consistent players we've had in the U23s for a few months," he said. "…I'm really happy that he had a good experience."
More minutes could now be Sagoe Jr.'s to be had, and he certainly looks to be one worth keeping an eye on.
A lovely touch as Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard pushes modest youngster Charles Sagoe Jnr to take the acclaim from the travelling Gooners in the away end after the talented 19-year-old Hale End academy graduate made his first team debut here at Brentford pic.twitter.com/fYAm1b196J
— Layth (@laythy29) September 27, 2023
What position doe Sagoe Jr. play in?
A right-footed winger who is capable of finishing on his left foot, Sago Jr. lined up on the right against Brentford but has more often found on the left flank for Arsenal's academy teams.
With Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli for competition, his path to first-team starts might be blocked for now, but his versatility could play to his advantage over a long season ahead.
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How good is Sagoe Jr.?
Arsenal snapped Sago Jr, up from Fulham's academy in 2015 when the player was just 11, and the gamble has paid off so far, with the winger becoming increasingly more prolific.
In the U18 Premier League two seasons ago, he hit nine goals and three assists in 26 games, and after finding his feet in Premier League 2 last term with a similar output - six and three in each column from 26 matches - he has been flying this year.
In five games, Sagoe Jr. has scored one and assisted four more, giving him a goal-involvement of one every 90 minutes he has played.
What clubs are interested in Sagoe Jr.?
Sagoe Jr. has been impressing at youth level for Arsenal, and he is no doubt coveted by many clubs, but it is perhaps premature to speculate about a potential move away from the Emirates at this early stage of his career.
When does Sagoe Jr.'s contract expire?
Sagoe Jr. signed his first professional contract with Arsenal in July. Whilst the Gunners didn't go public with its duration, it could be as much as five years with Sagoe Jr. 18 at the time.
How old is Sagoe Jr.?
Born on 24 July 2004 - this sharing a birthdate if not year with Arsenal legend Martin Keown - Sagoe Jr. is now 19 years old at the time of writing.
What is Sagoe Jr.'s Instagram?
Sagoe Jr.'s Instagram can be found under the handle @sagoejr. He has 27.1k followers as of September 2023.