How youngest Academy player in the country is thriving at Portsmouth as ex-Arsenal starlet's remarkable numbers continue to impress

Aged 16, Koby Mottoh is believed to be the youngest second-year scholar in the country – and on Tuesday night was handed a full Blues debut.

With his 17th birthday at the end of this month, the right winger possesses the curious distinction of being on the qualification cusp for two age groups.

Still, irrespective of his tender years, former Arsenal attacker Mottoh completed the full 90 minutes in the EFL Trophy 3-3 draw with the Cottagers’ Under-21s.

Another landmark for last season’s Academy top scorer, whose eye-catching start to this term – consisting of two goals and four assists from just two outings – earned him first-team honours.

Academy lead professional development phase coach Sam Hudson told The News: ‘I thought Koby did well overall and it was interesting he was used on both flanks in the game.

‘That’s a real challenge for any player and it’s also good to see the things we’ve been working on in training with his timing of runs off both sides of the pitch are starting to pay off.

‘We have used him predominantly on the right, although he has also trained on the left. Every player has individual sessions and we’re doing a lot more on the left so, by the time his scholarship ends, he will at least have exposure on both sides.

‘Koby got better as pre-season went on, he was just finding his feet again and re-establishing himself during the first couple of weeks of the 18s, getting his fitness back.

‘We played Forest Green in the first league game and the left-back couldn’t handle him, he was fantastic in the second half and claimed three assists. Then he scored twice and got one assist against Exeter.

‘We have dialogue every game with the first-team and relayed how pleased we are with his progress – and he managed to force himself into Tuesday night’s starting line-up.

‘That’s credit to him and a message to all the players that, if your form is right and you apply yourself with the youth-team where possible, the first-team staff are always looking inwards for what they’ve got coming up over the next few years.’

At times last season during his 29 Academy appearances, Mottoh operated as a right wing-back.

Nonetheless, he finished as 15-goal top scorer and conjured up eight assists during an outstanding campaign as a first-year scholar.

Now, following his debut off the bench at Forest Green Rovers in the Carabao Cup, he has two first-team appearances to his name.

Hudson added: ‘Certainly in the first half on Tuesday night, Koby managed to get in behind quite well off the left, but as soon as they went down to 10 men it was a very different game, Fulham went very deep when we had the ball.

‘There were a few moments when he put in relatively decent crosses, while he combined quite well at times.

‘Yet there are always things he can get better at, such as recognising runners in and around him instead of passing backwards.’