Six Arsenal youngsters joined first-team training on Wednesday, with at least a couple of them set to make the senior squad against FC Zurich.

Catalin Cirjan shields the ball for the Arsenal u21s (Photo via LCFC.com)
Catalin Cirjan shields the ball for the Arsenal u21s (Photo via LCFC.com)

In training photos from this week, Arsenal youngsters James Hillson, Catalin Cirjan, Bradley Ibrahim, Khayon Edwards, Zach Awe, and Elian Quesada-Thorn could all be spotted alongside the Gunners’ first-teamers.

Quesada-Thorn is ineligible for the Europa League, as he isn’t on Arsenal’s squad list – having not signed a professional contract with the club yet.

But any of the others could potentially be involved with Mikel Arteta’s squad on Thursday night.

The most likely is Hillson, given Matt Turner’s continuing injury absence. It’s standard practice to name two goalkeepers on the Europa League bench, so Arsenal need to call up a youth goalkeeper to join their usual third-choice keeper Karl Hein.

Cirjan, Ibrahim, and Edwards have all been regulars on the Europa League bench this season, though their chances of featuring among the substitutes have been hurt by the return of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Mohamed Elneny to training.

If Zinchenko and Elneny are involved, as well as Marquinhos returning after his illness last week, we may not see as many youth players in the squad as on previous matchdays.

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Zach Awe compete for the ball in training with Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Oleksandr Zinchenko and Zach Awe compete for the ball in training with Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)

As for Awe, he’s yet to feature in a senior squad this season, after making the Premier League bench for the first time back in February. But this involvement in training is certainly a step closer.