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Arsenal are preparing to face Sporting in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals tomorrow evening.
Arsenal have some big players absent for the Emirates Stadium clash, with Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard missing training on Tuesday.
Although frustrating, it does present an opportunity for some of the talented youngsters in the Arsenal academy to step up into the first team.
TRUE or FALSE: Arsenal WILL NOT beat Sporting CP without Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka…
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Mikel Arteta has actually promoted Josh Ogunnaike to the senior side, as he was spotted in the open training session.
That said, we’ve taken a closer look at Ogunnaike and his background.
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Josh Ogunnaike profile
- Full name: Oluwatoyosi Joshua Adewale Ogunnaike
- Age: 18 (4, April 2008)
- Place of birth: London, England
- Position: Left-back, centre-back
When did Josh Ogunnaike join Arsenal?
Ogunnaike joined Arsenal in October 2021 when he was 13-years-old.
Since then, he has rapidly progressed through the age groups and made his debut for the under-21s in February 2025.
The defender was just 16, evincing how highly thought of he is around the Colney training ground.
Josh Ogunnaike stats
Despite only celebrating his 18th birthday earlier this month, Ogunnaike has already racked up 14 appearances for Arsenal’s reserve side.
His only goal came in the UEFA Youth League against Olympiacos back in October.
ClubGamesGoalsAssistsArsenal U183712Arsenal U2114–1Arsenal YL511Josh Ogunnaike career stats
What kind of left-back is Josh Ogunnaike?
Arsenal’s official website has described Ogunnaike as an ‘attack-minded, powerfully built full back’.
Ogunnaike has been pictured next to Mikel Merino in first-team training previously, and he’s only slightly shorter than the Spaniard, who is 6ft 2.
That certainly sounds like the type of profile Arteta likes, so it wouldn’t at all be surprising to see the teenager make his debut soon.
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