Michelle Agyemang: Arsenal & England's teenage goal-machine with the potential to be the Lionesses' next great No.9

Agyemang is a lifelong Arsenal fan and joined the club's academy at the age of six, rising through the ranks to make her debut for the first team at 16 years old, back in the 2022-23 season.

After being in and around the senior side throughout that campaign, she then joined Watford on loan a year later, scoring five goals in 10 games in all competitions. The young striker credits that spell in the Championship with teaching her how to be "resilient" as well as showing her the "value" of "three points" and of "working hard", with the Hornets embroiled in a relegation battle.

Away from the club level, Agyemang also made significant progress in the England set-up, with her playing for the Under-23s for the first time, aged 18, back in October, after impressing in the younger age groups and racking up plenty of goals.

Agyemang has been known as an exciting prospect for a while now, as is understandable with someone who made their Arsenal debut at 16, but it was with the Young Lionesses that she first really made a statement that caught real attention. When England's U17s went to their UEFA Championship in 2023, it'd been a few years since that age group had something to properly shout about, having suffered group-stage elimination in 2019 and, after the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, failed to qualify for the tournament in 2022.

However, with Agyemang leading the line for a very talented generation coming through, England made it to the semi-finals in Estonia. Four group-stage goals from the teenager were vital in getting them there, with two coming in a 2-1 win over Poland and another brace helping the Young Lionesses to a 3-1 victory over Sweden.

Spain would score two late goals to win that semi-final, but Agyemang's exploits caught the attention of women's football fans at home and only added to the hype around her.

Having signed a professional contract at Arsenal back in May, Agyemang is now enjoying her first loan spell in the Women's Super League, at Brighton for the 2024-25 season. The Seagulls are playing an exciting style of football under new head coach Dario Vidosic, and their 18-year-old forward has been a regular substitute through the first seven weeks of the season, opening her account for the club in October with a clinical strike against Aston Villa.

Most notably, Agyemang's game time is often coming on the left of a front three, in a 3-4-3 system. It means there's more emphasis on her from a defensive point of view when compared to the role of a No.9, but she is taking to that well, not shying away from tracking runners while also growing to understand how to be a threat in the box in the space she occupies.

Described by former Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall as having tactical, technical and physical capabilities that "outmatches players at U17 level", it's no surprise that Agyemang has been able to make an impact at senior level. She's strong, which is important for a teenager just starting to come into first-team football, meaning she can compete with this new level of opponent, and that lays the foundation for the rest of her game to shine.

As an Arsenal academy product, Agyemang is remarkably skilled with the ball at her feet. It's something that is becoming increasingly apparent at Brighton especially, where she picks the ball up in more space than she would normally when playing as a No.9, and that is helping her to create shooting chances on her own at times, as well as being able to get into the box to attack crosses from the other side.

When she gets that service, her goal-scoring instincts are immediately apparent. Whether it's reacting quickly in the area or finishing one-on-one - she has great speed and powerful running ability when put through on goal - Agyemang is a natural goal-scorer.

Becoming more adept with her weaker left foot is one thing Agyemang could work on to become an even more dangerous forward, as it will increase her clinical touch when she gets those chances, leaving defenders and goalkeepers guessing when space opens up for her to shoot.

Something else she may be able to add to her game while at Brighton, too, is a little more creativity. This isn't entirely necessary for someone who is likely to play the entirety of her career as a No.9 who waits for that service, but because she is playing wider right now, she may be able to understand how to be effective in that sense from those spaces as this season goes on. When she ends up away from the box in the future then, she may be able to be a dual threat, like one of her idols, Vivianne Miedema, so often is.

Otherwise, at this point, it's just about Agyemang accruing more experience at the highest level and refining her all-round game to cope with the increased quality of defenders and goalkeepers she is coming up against.

It's hard not to see shades of Khadija Shaw in Agyemang's game. A strong striker who can hold the ball up well, isn't afraid to drop deeper to get involved when needed and has wonderful technical ability to be an asset in possession, but also to herself in creating chances of out nowhere - that is a description that would apply to both, with the only difference being the calibre of player Shaw is, as a highly experienced and well-proven centre forward at the very top.

The similarities don't stop there, as it's also worth noting how selfless both players can be. Shaw is so often in her own box heading away corners and free-kicks, while Agyemang has taken well to the defensive duties of her wide role at Brighton. Both will also press well, show good anticipation to nick the ball off defenders and boast a variety of finishing techniques.

One big difference, however, is their aerial prowess. Shaw is one of the deadliest strikers in the air in the women's game, with bullet headers a regular sight. Agyemang, on the other hand, is not as dominant in this area, owing to her smaller stature. There are obvious differences in how they are playing at the moment too, given the 18-year-old is operating out wide at Brighton right now, even if that role allows her to move centrally more often because it is in a 3-4-3 formation.

In the short-term, Agyemang will be keen to break into Brighton's starting XI on a regular basis, with all seven of her appearances in the WSL this season having come from the bench. She's certainly impressed when she's got the chance, and Vidosic has done well to ensure she is granted decent time to make an impact, but that next step is to stand out to the extent that she gets even more game time, as it is with that which she'll develop even more.

It may take another loan spell or two before Agyemang is able to then play regularly for Arsenal, given the level the club is at and the expectations, though the fact the Gunners often compete on various fronts could work in her favour and see her become an important squad player sooner rather than later.

At 18 years old, though, Agyemang has already shown enough to suggest she can be a star for club and country in the future. It's just about continuing on this trajectory, learning with each new step that comes her way and showcasing those game-changing, goal-scoring qualities that have helped her rightly carve out a reputation as one of England's most exciting young prospects.