Alexandre Song has recently cemented his place in the Arsenal first team with a series of impressive performances this season. His strength, versatility and defensive capabilities have given Arsenal a new dimension and if this is anything to go by then Arsenal could have another Song on their hands in the form of the 17-year-old Emmanuel Frimpong.
Frimpong joined the club in the summer of 2008 and Arsenal were keen on retaining the services of the youngster, offering him a professional contract in February of last year, just a month after his 17th birthday. He had impressed with some rock-solid performances during his scholarship and had shown the Arsenal academy the potential he had to be a big player in the future.
The Ghanaian born youngster arrived in England at 11 years of age, joining the Gunners’ youth set up. The midfielder impressed in the Under 18’s and began making steady reserve team appearances in September 2008, despite just being 16 years of age. He was comfortably rubbing shoulders with players several years older than him yet his natural strength and skill on the ball meant that this was of little issue to him. Frimpong is a hungry midfielder and a strong, yet clean tackler. His battling performances have seen him earn appearances in the Carling Cup as well as a place in the first team squad for a League trip to Portsmouth last year.
Touted as the next Alexandre Song, Frimpong has expressed his desire to follow in his fellow African’s footsteps and believes he can emulate the current midfielder’s achievements in breaking into the first team. Frimpong has said:
"Obviously in the last couple of years Alex has showed everyone what he can do. He went on loan to Charlton and came back stronger. Everyone wondered if he would be a good player for Arsenal, whether he would establish himself in the first team, and I think he has proved that. He is playing really well at the moment. That's what I want to be doing in a few years"
Frimpong has shown promise at a very early age and has already shown signs of progressing into the first team set up at Arsenal. Given the philosophy at The Emirates it is surely only a matter of time before we see him on the big stage.
Frimpong scores a thunderous strike for the Arsenal youth team
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