Arsenal have taken a trio of youth players on their first-team trip to FC Porto in midweek, likely in part due to the expanded Champions League benches.
Whilst there are only nine spots on the bench in the Premier League, the Champions League benches offer 12 spaces for players, which inevitably creates some opportunities for fringe members of a club’s squad.
In Arsenal’s case, the injury absence of Jurrien Timber, along with potential further midweek absentees like Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Takehiro Tomiyasu, means those spots could end up falling to youth players instead.
Neither Jesus, Zinchenko, nor Tomiyasu were in training for Arsenal on Tuesday, and none of them have yet been spotted in Portugal.
Three players that have made the trip are Arsenal youngsters Ethan Nwaneri, James Sweet, and Ayden Heaven, all of whom could be seen with the squad in videos posted by fans at the airport in Porto.
The boys have landed🔴⚪️🔴⚪️ UTG pic.twitter.com/1DlZ6HT5FN
— Billy (@1billyhodgkins) February 20, 2024
Nwaneri’s inclusion is no great surprise, with the midfielder recently making a first-team appearance for Mikel Arteta away to West Ham United.
Nwaneri also made the Champions League squad for the last couple of group games against Lens and PSV Eindhoven, and he has 11 goals and three assists in 10 youth appearances this season.
The 16-year-old is clearly a special talent, and he’s earning his call-ups at the moment.
Sweet’s call-up was also signposted, with the full-back also featuring in the Arsenal squad away to Burnley.
The Wales u19 international largely plays at right-back, but he can also play on the left or in midfield. He has a lot of experience at the higher levels in the Arsenal academy, making well over 50 appearances for the u18s and u21s.
Finally, this would be Heaven’s first inclusion in a senior squad, should he make the bench on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old stands at around 6’2″, and he’s made a lot of appearances at centre-back this season.
But the teenager has also played at left-back, wing-back, and in midfield, with central midfield initially appearing to be his favoured position.
It’s no bad thing to be a defender with the technique to step up into midfield when you’re playing for Arsenal, so perhaps that could serve him well.