There are several Hale End academy stars eyeing a potential Arsenal first-team breakthrough, and young defender Brayden Clarke is among them.
Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have enjoyed first-team success this season, with the former establishing himself as a dependable squad player under Mikel Arteta, while the latter has become the Gunners’ first-choice left-back.
However, there are numerous other talented youngsters in the Arsenal set-up who are looking to feature regularly under Arteta, including the likes of Ismael Kabia, Jimi Gower and Clarke.
Clarke has impressed at under-18 level this season, but he’s someone fans may not know a lot about.
With that said, here is everything you need to know about the rising star.
How old is Brayden Clarke?
Brayden Clarke was born on 3rd July 2007, making him 17 years old at the time of writing, signing his first professional contract with Arsenal in July 2024.
Clarke joined Arsenal from Wolves’ academy last summer.
Brayden Clarke Nationality
Born in Birmingham, Clarke is eligible to represent the England national team but has chosen to play for Wales at youth level so far in his career.
He’s played for the Dragons’ under-16 and under-17 teams.
What position does Brayden Clarke play in?
Clarke is predominantly a centre-back, although he’s also capable of playing at right-back.
Excellent on the ball and physically imposing, standing at 6’1, the defender has all the raw attributes to develop into a special modern day centre-half.
How good is Brayden Clarke?
Clarke is capable of dictating the game from the back-line, pulling the strings with his impressive range of passing, while he also boasts impressive recovery pace for a player of his size.
Arsenal youth expert Jeorge Bird wrote on Clarke: “Brayden Clarke is 17, so it is a big achievement for him to be called up to the first-team [making the squad against Bournemouth].
“Reads the game well and is a good tackler. Has played for U21s, U19s and U18s this season. Wales U19 international who joined last year, having previously been at Wolves.”
Brayden Clarke’s Arsenal stats
Clarke has trained with the Arsenal first team on numerous occasions, and has now featured on the bench for the senior side under Arteta.
Mostly playing for the under-18s this season, Clarke has also featured five times in Premier League 2, for the under-21s.
Clarke’s 2024/25 Arsenal Statistics (all competitions)
- Appearances: 32
- Goals: 0
- Assists: 2
Gower was named on the first-team bench for Arsenal’s home game against Bournemouth, and this is unlikely to be the last time he’s in Arteta’s matchday squad if he keeps his strong form in the academy up.
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