Tommy Setford’s injury setback appears to be behind him, as he was spotted working with the Arsenal first team ahead of Saturday’s match against Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal youth goalkeeper Tommy Setford picked up an untimely injury in late August, coming off before half-time of the u21s 1-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.
Any hopes of a late loan move for the 19-year-old were dashed, and despite an initial call-up to the England u20s over the September break, Setford was then left out of the squad that faced Italy on September 5th.
The good news is that the injury doesn’t appear to be serious, and Setford was available to help Arsenal out this weekend.
With the u21s not in action until next Saturday, Setford was free to join the Arsenal first team for their match against Nottingham Forest.
Though David Raya started the match and Kepa Arrizabalaga was named on the bench, Setford linked up with the squad as the third-choice goalkeeper, helping out in the warm-ups.
Arsenal always bring a third goalkeeper to matches, even if they usually can’t be named on the bench due to squad space restrictions.
It’s likely Setford will be named in the squad for the match against Athletic Club on Tuesday, given the extra spots available for Champions League fixtures.
On a couple of occasions last season, Setford featured for the Arsenal u19s in the UEFA Youth League before making the bench for the first team on the very same day. But both of those matches were home matches, unlike Tuesday’s game in Bilbao.
Setford is also now too old to play in the u19 competition, and he can’t be named as an overage player, given that’s only possible for players who have spent two or more years at the club. The goalkeeper joined Arsenal in July 2024.