Photo: Arteta calls up academy left-back ‘in the mould of Jordi Alba’ to Arsenal training pre-Saints

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been putting his players through their paces ahead of this weekend’s Southampton clash.

The Gunners have shown great progress all season, remaining in contention for a Premier League top-four finish.

However, two consecutive defeats have dampened optimism at the Emirates.

Arsenal lost 3-0 at Crystal Palace on Monday 4 April before Brighton ran out 2-1 winners at the Emirates last week.

The Gunners are now fifth in the Premier League table, three points behind Tottenham, albeit with a game in hand.

Arteta also has to contend with several injury issues that have come at the worst time.

Kieran Tierney is set to miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

On Friday, Arsenal shared photos of their senior players in training, and an academy left-back featured in the session.

That player is Joel Lopez, a regular for the Gunners Under-23s this season (second from left).

The 20-year-old joined the Arsenal academy in 2018 from Barcelona’s famed La Masia setup.

As per The Sun, Lopez is a left-back ‘in the mould of Jordi Alba’ who loves to get forward and support the attack.

“Joel is a left back with a lot of future,” reporter Albert Roge told football.london in 2020.

“He loves to get forward and attack the penalty area.

“He combines very well with those inside him and has a good touch of the ball.

“In defence he is intense and his speed helps him to correct his position when he makes a few mistakes.

“He is a player that coaches always like. Very discreet on and off the pitch and always good.”

To date, Lopez has made 41 appearances for Arsenal’s U23s, as well as 26 for the U18s.

The Spaniard is yet to make his Arsenal senior debut – could he get the chance in the coming weeks?