New Delhi: Arsenal were struck bad when they got the news about Kai Havertz’s long-term injury, ruling the German out for the remainder of the season. Mikel Arteta’s side have already been criticised a lot due their striker vows over the past few seasons and with Gabriel Jesus also suffering an injury a few weeks back, the Gunners have been let with no proper number nine in their starting lineup. However, 22-year-old Nathan Butler-Oyedeji has been included in the Arsenal bench against the relegation side Leicester and it looks likely that the academy product might make his first Premier League appearance for the Gunners.
Nathan Butler-Oyedeji is the only attacker on the Arsenal bench in the King Power Stadium. 📸 pic.twitter.com/jt6Hnxqk5P
— HF World (@hfworld_) February 15, 2025
Who is the new Arsenal striker on bench?
The attacker, who was born in London, began playing for Arsenal’s U18 team in the 2019–20 season after joining the club at the age of eight. He has participated in 29 U18 games overall, however he has only contributed two assists and three goals. But since being promoted to Arsenal U21, his stats have significantly increased. Butler-Oyedeji had participated in up to 60 games for the U21s between the 2020–21 season and this one, contributing 12 assists and 20 goals.
Additionally, Butler-Oyedeji has played on loan in England’s lower levels. He has had loan stints at Cheltenham and Accrington Stanley, although neither team has seen him contribute. In 11 games at Accrington and 14 games at Cheltenham, he failed to score a goal. It has taken Butler-Oyedeji, who is now 22 years old, some time to obtain a chance in Arsenal’s starting lineup, but on January 22, his perseverance paid off.
In the last minute of the Gunners’ 3-0 Champions League triumph over Dinamo Zagreb, Arteta substituted the youthful striker. Even though he didn’t stay on the field long enough to touch the ball, he did got to experience what it felt like to wear an Arsenal shirt in front of 60,000 fans at the Emirates stadium.
Arsenal name Nathan Butler-Oyedeji in their matchday squad against Leicester City after their injury blows, leaving them short of striker options in their Premier league clash. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
