The Arsenal u21s are set to play in the EFL Trophy again this year, with the EFL confirming the date for the Group Stage draw.

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Arsenal U21 manager Mehmet Ali makes a point to Ethan Nwaneri prior to coming on as a substitute during the Papa John's Trophy match between Northampton Town and Arsenal U21 at Sixfields on October 18, 2022. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Arsenal U21 manager Mehmet Ali makes a point to Ethan Nwaneri prior to coming on as a substitute during the Papa John’s Trophy match between Northampton Town and Arsenal U21 at Sixfields on October 18, 2022. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

The Arsenal u21s have taken part in the EFL Trophy consistently over the last few years, after first appearing in the competition in 2018/19.

That first entry gave a young Bukayo Saka and Joe Willock the platform to impress, and Arsenal have been back every season since.

The EFL have confirmed that Arsenal are one of the invited u21 teams for the coming 2023/24 campaign, with the draw for the Group Stage of the competition to take place on Thursday, June 22nd at 11:30 BST.

The draw will be live on Sky Sports, for those wishing to tune in, and Arsenal will be drawn against three senior League One and League Two sides.

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NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Max Dyche and Akin Odimayo of Northampton Town look to the ball with Nathan Butler-Oyedeji of Arsenal U21 during the Papa John's Trophy match between Northampton Town and Arsenal U21 at Sixfields on October 18, 2022. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Max Dyche and Akin Odimayo of Northampton Town look to the ball with Nathan Butler-Oyedeji of Arsenal U21 during the Papa John’s Trophy match between Northampton Town and Arsenal U21 at Sixfields on October 18, 2022. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

At this stage of the competition, teams are split into Northern and Southern groups, to reduce travel time for the teams involved. The u21 teams always play away from home in all three group games.

The EFL Trophy provides the u21 teams with a good chance to test themselves against senior opposition.

Arsenal’s return to the UEFA Youth League creates some doubts about their continuing involvement in all four competitions they featured in last season (the Premier League Cup, the Premier League International Cup, the EFL Trophy, and the PL2).

Arsenal qualified for the UEFA Youth League after the first team made it into the Champions League, so it will be their first involvement for a few years.

If Arsenal are going to drop one of the four events, it’s likely it will be the Premier League International Cup, as the UEFA Youth League provides a good alternative for international fixtures.

Either way, the Gunners clearly don’t plan to pull out of the EFL Trophy.

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 18: Bradley Ibrahim of Arsenal U21 in action during the Papa John's Trophy match between Northampton Town and Arsenal U21 at Sixfields on October 18, 2022 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND: Bradley Ibrahim of Arsenal U21 in action during the Papa John’s Trophy match between Northampton Town and Arsenal U21 at Sixfields on October 18, 2022. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

In the most recent campaign, the Arsenal u21s won two of their three group games to finish second in their EFL Trophy group, before losing 3-2 to Stevenage in a tightly-contested knockout game.

Arsenal’s best effort in the EFL Trophy was in 2021/22, when they won their Round of 32 and Round of 16 fixtures against Ipswich Town and the Chelsea u21s to reach the quarter-finals, before losing 1-0 to Wigan Athletic.

No u21 team has won the competition so far, so Arsenal will continue to vie to become the first.

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