‘Mikel really does rate him’: Journalist says 18-year-old Arsenal player could really get a chance this season

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Arsenal are, all of a sudden, a bit short in defence.

After letting Kieran Tierney and Rob Holding go, along with the injury to Jurrien Timber, Arsenal are down to just six senior defenders in their squad.

Luckily, the likes of Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are very versatile, but the Gunners don’t have much depth and they may have to find some interesting solutions to this problem.

According to Charles Watts, speaking on his YouTube channel, one solution could be for Arsenal to start using Reuell Walters in the first-team.

According to Watts, Walters is a young player Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff really rate, and he could be in line to get a shot this season.

Walters could get a chance

Watts shared what he knows about the 18-year-old.

“Reuell Walters I thought might well go out, but I look at how short Arsenal are defensively now and I think Walters may be the one player in the current setup who is very close to making his mark in the first-team. Physically I think he is ready, he just looks ready to step up,” Watts said.

“He is the one who is very close to making that mark and Mikel really does rate him and the coaching staff rate him. It wouldn’t be a surprise if we saw Walters start getting some minutes this season in one of the competitions.”

Opportunity

It’s been a little while since we’ve seen a new young player added to this Arsenal squad from Hale End.

Of course, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have made huge impacts in recent years, but their introduction to first-team action feels like an age ago now despite their youth.

Walters is, clearly, highly rated within the Gunners’ academy, and it wouldn’t be surprising at all if he were to get a real chance to shine this season.