Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has once again added fuel to the fire of his usage of youngsters after calling up a promising defender to train with the seniors ahead of their visit to Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
The Spaniard has included 17-year-old defender Braydon Clarke among the senior squad as they continue with their preparations before facing Inter. The defender has made a name for himself since joining the Gunners’ academy in March 2024 after leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers. His ability on and off the ball have kept him on manager Arteta’s radar as he continues to explore promoting youth in the competitive senior team.
Clarke then penned his first professional contract with Arsenal just a few months after arriving at the club. Since then, he has become an integral part of the youth setup and has already made 11 appearances for the Gunners at youth level, with two coming in the Under 21s league.
Braydon Clarke describes his own style of play in candid interview
Back in April this year, Braydon Clarke was questioned by the Arsenal media team regarding his playing style. He replied,
“I’d describe myself as a ball-playing centre-half who likes to get the ball down and play. But to me, the most important thing is to keep the ball out of the net. I’ll put my all into everything – blocks, tackles, headers, whatever it takes! I take pride in defending.”
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This attitude is bound to please manager Mikel Arteta, who has categorically mentioned the importance of duels in his team talks and press conferences. Having already promoted the likes of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri to the first team, the Spanish manager will look to put Clarke on the same trajectory towards being a first-team regular as well.
