Arsenal U18s saw their winning start to the season come to an end yesterday as they faced West Bromwich Albion, but they remain unbeaten this campaign, with Dan Casey making a significant contribution.
Casey has established himself as a key player for the U18s and he hit a hat-trick in the 3-3 draw against the Baggies.
The Hale End product, who recently turned 17, is a versatile player and is comfortable in midfield but has often been used as a forward for the U18s.
Casey, who has impressive technical ability, is capable of dropping deep to help dictate play, while he can also make dangerous late runs into the box.
As things stand, Casey appears on track to secure a professional contract and he will hope to be involved at higher levels as the campaign progresses.
The UEFA Youth League could well provide Casey and some of his U18 team-mates with an opportunity to further enhance their development.
Arsenal U19s are set to take on Atalanta, Paris Saint-Germain, Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Sporting and Monaco.
There could also be chances for Casey at U21 level at some stage – he scored a fine goal for the second-string in a pre-season friendly against Enfield Town.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Moving on up.