Bramall has all the ingredients – Wenger

Former non-league player Cohen Bramall has the all-round qualities to make it at Arsenal said Gunners manager Arsene Wenger on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old defender — who a week ago was facing life on the dole queue after being made redundant by luxury carmakers Bentley — will first be tried out in the Under-23 side.

However, Wenger — who was impressed by his trial period and persuaded Arsenal to pay Hednesford Town £40,000 (46,000 euros, $48,500) — said he would have to prove he could challenge for a first team place pretty quickly.

“First he has to show at youth level that he can quickly make the first team,” Wenger told the club website.

“Overall I believe he has fantastic physical qualities, he has a good level of motivation because he has gone down and come up again.

“He has to prepare, to challenge the first-team players as quickly as he can. That could be in a very short period of time.

“He has the ingredients: the timing of his runs is very good, he has decent technique and exceptional pace. These are very important ingredients today.

“He was an athlete before and he came late to the game and that’s why I believe in him.

“Can he manage the tactical aspect and the technical aspect? Physically, he will be top level.”

Bramall — who may end up crossing swords with another former Hednesford product in Wales captain and central defender Ashley Williams who is at Everton — faces competition to make the senior first team from Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs.