Arsenal have a number of defensive injury doubts ahead their Champions League meeting with Monaco on Wednesday night.
Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riccardo Calafiori and Thomas Partey all missed Tuesday’s training session.
In addition, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu both remain sidelined for Arsenal with knee problems.
With that in mind, Mikel Arteta may be forced to call upon some academy players for Wednesday’s clash against Monaco.
Arsenal’s Under-19s were in UEFA Youth League action against their Monaco counterparts on Wednesday afternoon, and there were some notable omissions.
Now, there’s a chance that four Hale End defenders could be in the senior matchday squad later on in the day.
(L-R) Josh Robinson, Jimi Gower and Kieran Tierney of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 training and press conferen...
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
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Ayden Heaven, Josh Robinson, Zane Monlouis and Elian Quesada Thorn could make Arsenal squad v Monaco
As per Arsenal youth team expert Jeorge Bird, Josh Nichols and Maldini Kacurri were with the U19s on Wednesday afternoon, effectively ruling them out of the senior game.
However, Ayden Heaven, Josh Robinson, Zane Monlouis and Elian Quesada Thorn were not in the U19 matchday squad and could be called up to the first-team if needed.
Josh Nichols and Maldini Kacurri are with the U19s today.
Academy defenders that could be called up to first-team if needed:
Ayden Heaven (18, centre-back)
Josh Robinson (19, right-back/centre-back)
Zane Monlouis (21, centre-back)
Elian Quesada Thorn (19, left-back)
— Jeorge Bird (@jeorgebird) December 11, 2024
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Bird also posted the team news later on in the day, confirming that Heaven, Robinson, Monlouis and Quesada Thorn were not in the matchday squad.
Arsenal U19 team v Monaco: Setford, Julienne, Clarke, Kacurri, Nichols, Dudziak, Copley, I. Oulad M’hand, Kabia, Harriman-Annous, Kamara
Subs: Nygaard, Ferdinand, Forde, Casey, Oyetunde, Sweet, Chapman, Ibrahim, Onyekachuwku.
— Jeorge Bird (@jeorgebird) December 11, 2024
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Who are the four Arsenal academy defenders who could be called up to senior squad v Monaco?
Heaven is an 18-year-old centre-back who can also play at left-back, and has been heavily involved with the Under-21s this season.
He has also already made his Arsenal debut, coming on as a substitute in the Carabao Cup win over Preston earlier this year.
Robinson, meanwhile, is a versatile 19-year-old defender who can play at right-back, centre-back, and on the right wing.
He is yet to make his Arsenal debut but has made several Champions League matchday squads already this term.
TBR Football has tipped Robinson to start for Arsenal against Monaco.
Monlouis is a 21-year-old centre-back who has been involved with the U21s this season, though he’s yet to make his Gunners bow at senior level.
Finally, Quesada Thorn is a 19-year-old left-back who has featured in the Premier League 2, UEFA Youth League and EFL Trophy this term.
He is yet to play for Arsenal at senior level but has previously been called up to the Costa Rica national squad.
Arsenal are scheduled to kick off against Monaco at 8pm GMT at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday 11 December.
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