Manager Gary O’Neil is considering giving a surprising Premier League debut to 15-year-old schoolboy Wesley Okoduwa in their pivotal game against league leaders Arsenal. This decision comes as a result of an injury crisis that has plagued the club.
Wolves are facing a formidable challenge as injuries compel them to contemplate an extraordinary decision: fielding 15-year-old schoolboy Wesley Okoduwa in their crucial match against Premier League leaders Arsenal. Ahead of the Arsenal game, Wolves manager Gary O’Neil painted a grim picture, stating, “We’re probably in the worst situation we’ve been in, but the silver lining is that there will be numerous young players involved against Arsenal. There might be one or two debuts from the start. Some of those on the bench I’m not very familiar with, to be honest. One was delighted to skip his science class this morning to train with us. I hope he’s had a better time with us than he would have in science! He’s prepared for the game.”
If Okoduwa takes the field, he would become Wolves’ youngest-ever player at 15 years and 344 days old. His potential has reportedly attracted interest from Manchester United.
Okoduwa’s rise from the classroom to the Premier League is a significant moment. However, it comes at a cost for Wolves. O’Neil further detailed the recent setbacks: “The injuries we’ve suffered this week are unfortunate. Matheus Cunha sustained a knock to his calf during the Nottingham Forest game and has incurred some muscle damage from the impact… Semedo was substituted last weekend due to muscle overload around the calf. While not severe, we are waiting for it to subside.”
Here’s a summary of the latest Arsenal injury updates and news:
- Pedro Neto is making good progress post-hamstring injury and could play a part before the season ends.
- Rayan Ait-Nouri might be available for the bench as he’s feeling good.
- Nelson Semedo and Matheus Cunha will be unavailable due to injuries.
- Hee Chan can only play limited minutes.
- Despite the challenging situation with injuries, there’s a positive outlook with young players getting opportunities and the team already having secured 43 points in the season.