Arsenal 21-year-old pictured in first-team training, he’s battled with Leroy Sane

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been putting his players through their paces ahead of their return to Premier League action.

The Gunners head to Leicester on Saturday for the day’s early kickoff and the first fixture of matchweek 10.

Arsenal are in good form at present, boasting a run of eight games without defeat and looking much improved since the start of the season.

In addition, the Gunners have reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup after beating Leeds in midweek.

Arteta named Hale End star Salah-Eddine Oulad-M’Hand in his matchday squad against Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Although he didn’t get a runout on the day, he was photographed in training alongside several other academy gems.

According to Jeorge Bird, eight members of the Arsenal Under-23s squad took part in Thursday’s session at London Colney.

One of those was Zak Swanson, a 21-year-old full-back who has taken on one of the most dangerous wingers in the game – Leroy Sane.

“Very impressive”

Swanson joined Arsenal at the age of 6 and signed his first professional contract with the Gunners in April 2019.

He enjoyed a superb 2019-20 campaign and earned praise from then Arsenal U23s boss Steve Bould for how he dealt with Sane in a Premier League 2 defeat to Manchester City in February 2020.

“I thought Zak was our best player tonight,” Bould told the Gunners media team at the time.

“It was a great test for him, even though Sane isn’t going to be playing at his best as it was one of his first games back.

“Zak was very impressive and he has been all season in all fairness.

“I think he’s been one of our top two players for the whole of the season.”

In August 2020, Swanson joined Dutch Eerste Divisie side MVV Maastricht on a season-long loan deal.

However, after making just three appearances, he was recalled in December 2020, and then underwent an operation for a leg injury.

Now back in the fold and making up for lost time, Swanson has made five Premier League 2 appearances this season, and scored twice.