Arsenal’s game against Manchester City may not have gone ahead but there was a significant occasion for one youngster in the build up to the proposed fixture.
Catalin Cirjan has yet to feature for Arsenal at U23 level, but the talented Romanian midfielder has made quite an impact for the U18s in his debut season at the club.
Cirjan was rewarded for his recent performances with involvement in first-team training, where he got to compete against Mesut Ozil, who plays in the same position as him.
Not especially strong physically, Cirjan still has some improvements to make, but there is much to like about his game and the way in which he links play.
Next season Cirjan, who has already signed professional terms with the club, will still be eligible for the U18s but will be aiming to play the majority of his football for the U23s.
There are high hopes at Arsenal for Cirjan, and his involvement with the first-team squad this week gave him an extra incentive to keep working hard.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Would have been good to know how old he is. 17?
Are all the youth teams training? Or is there some self quarantine there too?
Hale End is closed as well, according to the Arsenal website.
Is there tech glitch or you closing down? No news articles for two days.
There’s been no news
I assume (well hope) that this lad’s name is pronounced Catalan Surgeon.
That would be great for potential nicknames, some positive, some less so:
If he turns out to be a smart, clever, crafty player: Brain Cirjan
If he becomes an all-round good player with a commanding presence: General Cirjan
If he never lives up to the hype: Plastic Cirjan
If he’s hurt all the time with leg injuries: Orthopedic Cirjan
If he seems nervous, shaky, unreliable: Neuro Cirjan
He’s still a teenager, so for now he is Pediatric Cirjan.