Wolves are set to field a 15-year-old student against Arsenal this Saturday, as he opted to skip a science class on Friday to gear up against the Premier League contenders. Wes Okoduwa, a right back, would become Wolves’ youngest player at 15 years and 344 days old, given the team’s shortage with only 10 fit senior outfield players. Various key players like Craig Dawson, Nelson Semedo, Matheus Cunha, Pedro Neto, and Jean-Ricard Bellegarde are sidelined, while Hwang Hee-chan and Rayan Ait-Nouri aren’t fully fit to start, and Mario Lemina and Pablo Sarabia are nursing injuries.
Wolves manager Gary O’Neil acknowledged the challenging situation, stating, “We’re probably in the worst situation we’ve been in, but the positives are there’s loads of young players involved against Arsenal.” He hinted at potential debuts for some of the younger players, highlighting their enthusiasm, like one who was glad to skip his science lesson to train with the team.
If Okoduwa plays, he will become the Premier League’s second youngest player after Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri. Despite his young age, Okoduwa has garnered attention as one of the brightest talents in the country, having been linked with clubs like Manchester United and contributing to England Under 16s’ success in the Football Federations Cup.
O’Neil mentioned that while Okoduwa is physically adept and has trained well, it might be slightly premature in his development, but the circumstances have necessitated his inclusion.
