Khayon Edwards is set to be in the Arsenal first-team squad for the Europa League match on Thursday, being held back from u21 duty.

Khayon Edwards (L) in first-team training competing with William Saliba (Photo via Edwards on Instagram)
Khayon Edwards (L) in first-team training competing with William Saliba (Photo via Edwards on Instagram)

Arsenal u21 striker Khayon Edwards has been with the first team in training and on matchdays throughout the last week, and that’s set to continue for the upcoming game against PSV Eindhoven.

Daily Cannon has learned that Edwards will be held back from u21 duty as the team take on Northampton Town on Tuesday night so he can remain with the first team.

The striker is set to be in the Europa League squad again on Thursday, as he was in Norway last week.

Edwards then travelled with the Arsenal first team for their match against Leeds United on Sunday, but he was the extra man for the Gunners’ Premier League squad.

With the larger bench in the Europa League, Edwards is reportedly set to retake his place on it at the Emirates Stadium this Thursday.

It will be his first appearance in a matchday squad at his club’s home ground.

Khayon Edwards (R) back with the Arsenal u21s after injury (Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter)
Khayon Edwards (R) back with the Arsenal u21s after injury (Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter)

Edwards was Arsenal’s star striker at u18 level last season, scoring 21 times in all competitions and assisting a further five goals. That made him the academy’s top scorer and top goal contributor overall.

Stepping up to the u21s this season was an inevitability, but it seems Mikel Arteta has taken a shine to Edwards in recent weeks, and he’s joining Catalin Cirjan and Matt Smith in receiving regular first-team call-ups.

Edwards will hope for a good result for the Gunners on Thursday, as their strong position in the group surely only increases his chances of an eventual debut for the side in the later fixtures.