Arsenal were rocked by the news this week that Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss the rest of the season, in what is undoubtedly a blow to Mikel Arteta's hopes of bringing the Premier League title to the Emirates.
The Japan international's time at Arsenal has sadly been an injury-prone and inconsistent one but the Spanish manager could ditch the right-back for academy talent Brooke Norton-Cuffy next season.
Who is Brooke Norton-Cuffy?
Having progressed through Arsenal's academy, Norton-Cuffy would sign his first professional deal at the age of just 17, having made his debut for the U23s at the age of just 16.
With 36 appearances for the academy under his belt, the talented right-back would get his first taste of senior football on loan with Lincoln City last season and caught the eye with the Imps, making 17 appearances in League One, contributing one goal and one assist.
BBC Radio Lincoln’s commentator Rob Makepeace was full of praise for the youngster's ability, attitude and potential when speaking to Football.London last summer, saying: “He’s got everything there for him, he’s got a good head on his shoulders which is always a good attribute to have as a young footballer, he’s got the ability, the skill and the physicality to cope and it will just be about getting games under his belt next season.
"I think he’s got all the attributes to make it to the top, it’s just about getting the game time and you never know what will happen in his career.
"For Brooke, I think it’s going to be a crucial couple of years, but I think he’s one of those players who has got a really good chance of making it.”
Arsenal certainly felt he was ready for the step-up, and he joined Rotherham in the first half of the Championship season, before being recalled and sent back out on loan, this time to playoff-chasing Coventry City.
Still just 19, the right-back now has 51 senior appearances to his name in League One and the Championship, which suggests that little will stand in his way when it comes to making it in the Premier League with Arsenal in the future.
Considering Tomiyasu's injury problems, as well as the impressive form of Ben White, the latter has managed just six starts in the Premier League so far this campaign. Thus, Arteta could be looking to get rid of the former Bologna man in the near future, certainly if he continues to prove an unreliable option in his defence.
Fortunately, the Spaniard looks to have the ideal long-term replacement in Norton-Cuffy, as in his time at Rotherham, he averaged more aerials won, more tackles and more shots per game than Tomiyasu has in the Premier League this season.
