Meet Charles Sagoe Jr, the Arsenal wonderkid handed shock start vs Brentford in Carabao Cup

Mikel Arteta has opted to hand highly-rated youngster Charles Sagoe Jr his full Arsenal debut in the Carabao Cup.

After the 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, the Gunners are back in action on Wednesday night as they take on Brentford in the Carabao Cup third round.

Ahead of the match, Arteta has surprised a few by selecting 19-year-old Sagoe Jr in his attack.

To those who are not familiar with the forward, Sagoe Jr was born in 2004 in Kingston-Upon-Thames and joined Arsenal back in 2015 from Fulham.

Before being handed his first team debut, he was a regular for the Under 21s, scoring six goals in 26 appearances.

In March 2023 he was named on the bench for the Gunners' Europa League match away to Sporting CP.

According to Arsenal’s official website, Sagoe Jr is a composed and intelligent forward who is a threat on either wing.

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Sagoe Jr told the club in March: “Growing up I was a big Arsenal fan and I’ve seen all the highlights of the Invincibles and read up a lot about the great teams over the years.

“I know I’m only 18 but I watch a lot of football and I analyse games from the past a lot. I always hear from older family members how much supporters adored the likes of Henry, Pires, Bergkamp, Wright and Overmars.”

He continued: “The move to Arsenal was an intriguing one as they first showed their interest when I was playing at a tournament for Fulham and I scored and assisted against them. After the game I remember one coach said I was a very good player and was one to look out for.

“So when they officially wanted to sign me, my family and I thought it was the right time as we knew Arsenal had admired me from before. And also it’s The Arsenal – a huge step up given the stature and size of the club.”

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