Arsenal 21yo credits managers decision for his inspired form | OneFootball

Arsenal youngster Nathan Butler-Oyedeji has credited his new role as captain of the u21s for his excellent recent form with the academy.

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji with the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for August 2024 (Photo via Butler-Oyedeji on Instagram)

Arsenal’s Nathan Butler-Oyedeji has been in fantastic form with the u21s lately, so much so that he was called up to Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad for last week’s Champions League tie away to Atalanta.

The 21-year-old won the Premier League 2’s Player of the Month award in August, underlining his individual displays that have helped Arsenal to the top of the table.

Speaking to Arsenal’s official media channels about this season so far, the winger suggested that being named captain of the u21s by manager Mehmet Ali has helped to get the best out of him.

Mehmet Ali coaching the Arsenal u21s (Photo via Arsenal.com)

“Mehmet’s entrusted the captaincy [to] me, which is a new role for me,” Butler-Oyedeji said.

“[It] brings out new sides of me, a new personality that I haven’t really tuned into before which is getting the best out of me on the pitch.

“I like to try and involve the young players, with the little experience that I have, guide them, help them. It seems to be proving fruitful on the pitch, so yeah, I’m enjoying it.”

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji with the Arsenal first-team ahead of their match away to Atalanta (Photo via Butler-Oyedeji on Instagram)

Butler-Oyedeji has scored five goals and assisted two in just five games for the Arsenal u21s this season so far, helping the team to five straight wins in the Premier League 2 and EFL Trophy.

The winger has scored or assisted in every Premier League 2 game so far, and he netted a dramatic late winner against Stoke City u21s on Monday.

Perhaps the youngster would have been a little disappointed not to be involved with some of his academy teammates on Wednesday, but Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling were always going to start that match in his position.

Unlike Nwaneri, Porter, Lewis-Skelly, and Nichols, Butler-Oyedeji’s pathway to the starting lineup wasn’t quite so clear.

The forward will instead try to keep his good form going as the Arsenal u21s host Liverpool on Friday night.