Many Arsenal staff think Lino Sousa will be in Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad soon

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Many Arsenal staff now believe that defender Lino Sousa could be in Mikel Arteta’s first team very soon.

A report from Goal has provided the lowdown on some of the Gunners most exciting young talents.

Arsenal’s under-18’s have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup after another impressive season.

They face Cambridge United this evening for a place in the final four.

Jack Wilshere is in charge of the young side, and knows a thing or two about how to succeed in Arsenal’s academy.

Mikel Arteta hasn’t been shy of giving young players a chance in the senior side this season.

Ethan Nwaneri broke the Premier League record for youngest ever player when he came on against Brentford.

The likes of Amario Cozier-Duberry and Bradley Ibrahim have been included in matchday squads too.

Another player to get a call-up to the first-team is Lino Sousa, and Arsenal have high hopes for the young left-back.

After signing from West Brom last year, he’s already a regular at under-21 level.

Arsenal staff think Sousa has first-team potential

The report from Goal suggests that, ‘there are many who think Sousa will soon be pushing for a regular spot in Arteta’s squad and that would not be a surprise, given his rapid rate of development since arriving in north London.

‘Whether it be with the U21s or the U18s, the left-back has impressed and is now regularly selected by Arteta to train with the first-team at London Colney.’

Previously described as an ‘outstanding’ player, Sousa was part of the squad that went to Dubai during the mid-season break.

Sousa was called up to train with the first-team ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Aston Villa last weekend.

He wasn’t in the matchday squad, but it might not be long until he’s more involved with the team.

There’s been plenty of recent discussion over the left-back position at Arsenal.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is Arteta’s first choice, and has previously been asked to mentor Sousa.

Kieran Tierney could move on in the summer, and Nuno Tavares’s future is up in the air.

This could open up the opportunity for Sousa to get his chance in Arsenal’s first-team.

It sounds like there’s lots of confidence that he’ll be ready to make the step up.