Player Profile: Zach Awe


Player Profile: Zach Awe

By Oliver Gafsen
The eagle-eyed viewer would have noticed 18-year-old Zach Awe replacing Takehiro Tomiyasu on the bench in Arsenal's 1-0 victory at Molineux earlier this month.
An academy player breaking into the seniors barely a year after putting pen to his first professional contract speaks to how big an impact Awe has made at Hale End.
Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have already demonstrated the class of our graduates in recent years, so here's everything you need to know about Arsenal's next wonderkid.

Background


The Young Gun was born to Nigerian parents in Greenwich in 2004 – mid-way through our invincibles season.
If that doesn't make you feel like one of the old-timers, nothing will.
Palace spotted his promise and snatched him from his Sunday league team, but Awe said: "when Arsenal came calling a year later, it was an opportunity we just couldn't turn down."
So clearly, the youngster is a big Arsenal fan who feels a genuine loyalty to the club.
He joined as an eight-year-old and swiftly rose through the ranks.
He was only 16 when he made his sensational U23s debut, keeping a clean sheet in a 6-0 mauling of Blackburn Rovers.
In January, he was part of the side that thumped Chelsea 4-1 in the EFL Papa John's Trophy, and while a late Wigan winner shattered his Wembley dreams, Awe should be proud that Arsenal were the only U23s team in the quarter-finals.

Key Attributes


Awe said that if it weren't for football, he'd try basketball, and at 6'4, you'd fancy his chances, but there's far more to the defender than aerial battles.
Modelling himself on heroes Patrick Viera, David Luiz and Sergio Ramos, Awe has a natural reading of the game, advancing and picking passes as a new school of centre backs.
He joined Arsenal as a full back, and his ability on the ball has led to cameos in midfield, showing he can threaten at both ends with a goal in the 3-1 PL2 win over Chelsea this month.
Awe's developing versatility could prove a perfect match for Arteta, understanding that "at Arsenal, you're expected to be comfortable in possession as a defender and willing to take risks with passes. I've spent years in the academy playing the Arsenal way."
Hopefully, he'll progress to being a world-class defender, but like Declan Rice, he has the potential to end up playing further forward.

What Next?


Awe has been making leaps and strides for the youth teams, and he'll soon be ready for the next step, joining Daniel Ballard, Mark McGuinness and Harry Clarke as one of our future centre backs cutting their teeth on loan in the lower leagues.
It's received a lot of criticism over the years, but the loan system is a tried and trusted process for developing young players.
Hopefully, Arsenal can find the right club to send him on loan him too.
He may be unlikely to challenge for a spot in a Premier League defence that has kept 11 clean sheets in our last 20 outings this season.
But Arsenal fans would do well to keep tabs on this exciting prospect.
Photo Credit: Getty Images

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