Player profile: Brooke Norton-Cuffy
By Oli Dickson-Jefford
When someone is playing U23 football aged 17, you know that a special talent is emerging.
And as he celebrates his 18th birthday today, Brooke Norton-Cuffy might not have to wait too long until he begins making senior appearances for Arsenal.
Arsenal’s Hale End academy is brimming with young talent but the right-back is one of the brightest prospects in English football and could be set for a stellar career.
Here is all you need to know about the teenager ahead of what could be a huge couple of seasons for him.
Background
Norton-Cuffy may now be dreaming of becoming a Gunners legend but that wasn’t always the case.
Born in Pimlico in south west London, he was originally part of Chelsea’s academy before being signed by Arsenal aged 12.
Football was his main passion growing up but he was an incredibly talented sportsman across a range of activities, including basketball, athletics, gymnastics and swimming.
The birthday boy started out as a striker but developed into a winger in his early teens, and after some impressive displays at U15 level his coaches persuaded him to permanently switch to being a right-back.
Norton-Cuffy was a regular in Arsenal’s U18 team but a series of injuries within the U23 squad meant he got the opportunity to train and play with them.
And he has fully embraced that opportunity, moving permanently to the U23 set-up and making several appearances for the side.
He has also made several international appearances, scoring on his England debut, and is now a regular in the Three Lions’ U18 squad.
A further indication of Norton-Cuffy’s star quality is that he is represented by RocNation Sports, a management agency founded and owned by Jay Z.
He lists England stars Reece James, Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold among his heroes and he is more than capable of being as similarly accomplished as them.
Considering athletics was a sport he was strong at when he was younger, it is no surprise that one of Norton-Cuffy’s biggest strengths is his pace.
The 18-year-old is incredibly quick and in a game that now sees wing backs more involved in the attacking side of football, that should be something that suits him well.
Norton-Cuffy is also considered to be incredibly strong and is also seen by many to be level-headed, impressing while on club and international duty for consistently composed performances.
What Next?
Several of Arsenal’s best and brightest have gone out on loan in recent seasons and it is more than possible Norton-Cuffy could follow in their footsteps.
While he has impressed in the U23 side, some first team football experience in the senior game would undoubtedly be a huge bonus for him as he looks to make the next step in his career.
Considering the reputation of Arsenal’s academy and strong performances some of their players have put in on loan, several Championship, League One or League Two sides will likely be interested in taking him on for the season.
It is possible that he might be given some first team opportunities at Arsenal across the next 18 months or so.
Norton-Cuffy is highly rated within the club and he may get some opportunities in cup games, and potentially European matches should the club finish in the top six.
It will likely be a while yet before he breaks into the Arsenal first team squad, but Gunners should certainly keep their eyes peeled on Norton-Cuffy in the next season or two.
