Ben Cottrell
{{short description|English footballer (born 2001)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ben Cottrell
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| full_name = Ben Aaron Cottrell{{WorldFootball.net|ben-cottrell}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|10|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = Watford, England
| currentclub = Zemplín Michalovce
| clubnumber =
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 = 2010–2020
| youthclubs1 = Arsenal
| years1 = 2020–2023
| clubs1 = Arsenal
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2023–2024
| clubs2 = Mura
| caps2 = 11
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2024–
| clubs3 = Zemplín Michalovce
| caps3 = 9
| goals3 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2016
| nationalteam1 = England U16
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2019
| nationalteam2 = England U18
| nationalcaps2 = 3
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 24 June 2024
| ntupdate =
}}
Ben Aaron Cottrell (born 31 October 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Slovak First Football League club Zemplín Michalovce.
Club career
=Arsenal=
Born in Watford, Cottrell joined the academy of Premier League club Arsenal on 3 June 2010, at the age of eight.{{cite web|url=https://www.arsenal.com/historic/players/ben-cottrell|title=Ben Cottrell|access-date=13 September 2023|website=arsenal.com}} He progressed through the club's Hale End academy, where his performances drew interest from German and French sides, Borussia Dortmund and Marseille, respectively.{{cite web|url=https://talksport.com/football/445558/borussia-dortmund-marseille-arsenal-academy-wonderkid-ben-cottrell/|title=Borussia Dortmund and Marseille looking to raid Arsenal academy for wonderkid Ben Cottrell|first=Sean|last=O'Brien|date=13 November 2018|access-date=13 September 2023|website=talksport.com}} He signed his first professional contract with the club in July 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/lopez-cottrell-hillson-sign-first-pro-contracts|title=Lopez, Cottrell, Hillson sign first pro contracts|date=2 July 2019|access-date=13 September 2023|website=arsenal.com}}
Cottrell made his unofficial debut in Arsenal's 4–1 pre-season friendly win against Milton Keynes Dons; coming on as a second-half substitute for Kieran Tierney, he impressed in an unnatural left wing-back position.{{cite web|url=https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/players/ben-cottrell-mikel-arteta-breakthrough-18830286|title=Ben Cottrell sets the tone for Arsenal youngsters aiming to breakthrough under Mikel Arteta|first=Art|last=De Roche|date=26 August 2020|access-date=13 September 2023|website=football.london}} Later in the same season, he was included in Arsenal's senior squad ahead of a UEFA Europa League fixture against Norwegian opposition Molde, alongside fellow academy graduate Miguel Azeez.{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/24/mikel-arteta-includes-two-teenage-rookies-in-travelling-arsenal-squad-for-molde-clash-13648796/|title=Miguel Azeez and Ben Cottrell included in Arsenal squad travelling to Molde|date=24 November 2020|access-date=13 September 2023|website=metro.co.uk}} Despite not featuring in Arsenal's 3–0 win, he remained on manager Mikel Arteta's radar, and made his professional debut in Arsenal's 4–2 win against Irish side Dundalk on 10 December 2020, coming on as a second-half substitute for Emile Smith Rowe.{{cite web|url=https://guernseypress.com/sport/uk-sport/2020/12/10/eddie-nketiah-helps-fire-arsenal-to-victory-over-dundalk/|title=Eddie Nketiah helps fire Arsenal to victory over Dundalk|date=10 December 2020|access-date=13 September 2023|website=guernseypress.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.arsenal.com/news/ben-cottrell-makes-permanent-move-ns-mura|title=Ben Cottrell makes permanent move to NS Mura|date=1 August 2023|access-date=13 September 2023|website=arsenal.com}}
Having been ruled out for most of the 2021–22 season, only playing in two games, he returned to regular action the following year, but found first-team opportunities limited, despite impressing in the Premier League 2.{{cite web|url=https://tbrfootball.com/arsenal-coach-loved-ben-cottrells-performance-on-friday-artetas-only-played-him-once/|title=Arsenal coach loved Ben Cottrell's performance on Friday, Arteta's only played him once|first=Ben|last=Evans|date=16 April 2023|access-date=13 September 2023|website=tbrfootball.com}}
=Mura=
In August 2023, he completed a permanent transfer to Slovenian side Mura, becoming the first Englishman to play for the club.{{cite web|url=https://planetnogomet.si/novice/mura-prestop-arsenal-ben-cottrell/|title=Mura je uspešno poslovala s kultnim Arsenalom: V Murski Soboti bo kariero nadaljeval 21-letni angleški vezist Ben Cottrell|trans-title=Mura did successful business with the iconic Arsenal: 21-year-old English midfielder Ben Cottrell will continue his career in Murska Sobota|date=29 July 2023|access-date=13 September 2023|website=planetnogomet.si|language=sl}}{{cite web|url=https://nsmura.si/ben-cottrell-je-carno-bejli/|title=Ben Cottrell je čarno-bejli!|trans-title=Ben Cottrell is charming!|date=1 August 2023|access-date=13 September 2023|website=nsmura.si|language=sl}}
=Zemplín Michalovce=
On 9 December 2024, Cottrell joined Slovak First Football League club Zemplín Michalovce on a two-and-a-half year deal, once again becoming the first Englishman to represent the club. {{cite web|url=https://mfkzemplin.sk/post/5874/z-arsenalu-az-do-michaloviec.html|trans-title=From Arsenal to Michalovce!|title=Z Arsenalu až do Michaloviec!|language=Slovak|website=mfkzemplin.sk|date=9 December 2024|accessdate=9 December 2024}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 12 May 2024}}{{Soccerway|ben-cottrell/546616}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|National Cup !colspan=2|League Cup !colspan=2|Europe !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="5"|Arsenal U21
|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 2{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in the EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21
|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 4{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 2021–22
|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2022–23
|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| colspan=2|Total
!0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||6||0||6||0 | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="4"|Arsenal
|rowspan="3"|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=UEL|Appearances in the UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021–22
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022–23
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||1||0 | ||||||||||||
| Mura
|11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||
| colspan=3|Career total
!11||0||2||0||0||0||1||0||6||0||20||0 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{MFK Zemplín Michalovce squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cottrell, Ben}}
Category:Footballers from Watford
Category:English men's footballers
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Slovenian PrvaLiga players
Category:MFK Zemplín Michalovce players
Category:English expatriate men's footballers
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Slovenia
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Slovakia
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Slovenia