Ismail Oulad M’Hand has yet to make his league debut for Arsenal U21s but last week was very eventful for the young midfielder.
Firstly he was one of four players (along with Elian Quesada-Thorn, Josh Robinson and Jimi Gower) to put pen to paper on his first professional contract following two years as a scholar.
Then Oulad M’Hand (who is the brother of fellow Arsenal academy player Salah-Eddine) was involved with the first-team in their pre-season friendly draw against Watford.
Oulad M’Hand knows that there is much work to do before he can get closer to a competitive debut, but his involvement against the Hornets represented a significant step in the right direction.
The 18-year-old, who was previously at Feyenoord’s academy, is an excellent passer and also has impressive technical ability.
Although he is most effective in a creative sense, Oulad M’Hand also possesses good defensive attributes and is a hard-working player.
This season he will no longer be eligible for the U18s and will therefore be looking to establish himself as a key player for the U21s.
Oulad M’Hand can take inspiration from Mauro Bandeira, who was in a similar position last year and now finds himself close to the first-team.
His first week as a professional player has gone very well indeed and now Oulad M’Hand will be aiming to push on to even greater heights.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Give the lad a M’hand!
*Gets coat*
Or as a midfielder, give him Mo’ hand.
Off for a season in Germany ???
What happened to his brother? I thought he’d joined Hull with a purchase clause but then ended up coming back to us?
Good luck to the youngster…although I am reminded of that time I ordered a takeaway curry and when it arrived there’s the poppadoms and pickles, onion bhajis, a tasty looking rogan josh and a golden peshwari naan, yum yum! I’m just about to tuck in when it hits me – Where’s the Rice?