Arsenal staff see 18-year-old defender as potential first-team player one day

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Arsenal staff believe that young defender Lino Sousa has the potential to play for the first team one day.

Journalist James McNicholas was speaking to the Arsecast Podcast about the club’s academy.

The work done at Hale End is seen at The Emirates on a weekly basis now.

Bukayo Saka is one of the most impressive attackers in the Premier League and regularly starts for England.

The likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson are all important parts of Mikel Arteta’s squad.

The latter’s contract runs out this summer but Arsenal are desperate to agree a new deal with the winger.

Folarin Balogun has impressed out on loan in France this season and could make the club a decent sum if sold this summer.

The latest player Arsenal staff are backing to make an impact in the first team is Lino Sousa.

Sousa is a left-back by trade but has also played more centrally and as a left midfielder.

The England under-18 international has a bright future ahead of him and has already trained with Mikel Arteta’s senior squad.

Arsenal staff back Sousa for first team

Speaking about the club’s academy, McNicholas said: “The other one who’s a massive talent is Lino Sousa, who’s really well thought of and potentially there is actually a gap in the squad at left-back.

“He’s 18 years old, the boy at [Manchester] City Rico Lewis has come in and done a terrific job and he’s 18 as well.

“I do think the club really highly of Lino Sousa and see him as a first-team player potentially one day.

“I just don’t know if we’ll promote him to that position in the squad quite yet.”

The gap in the squad McNicholas is alluding to could open up if Kieran Tierney is sold.

The Scottish international has been heavily linked with a move to Newcastle this summer.

Sousa has already been tasked with learning from Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is one of the best full-backs in the world at drifting into midfield.

It’s a tactic being used more and more frequently in football right now and Sousa could really benefit from the Ukrainian’s tuition.

Sousa may get this chance to impress in the first team for Arsenal during pre-season, especially if Tierney leaves.

Whether he’s ready or not is another question given he’s never played a senior game in his career.