Arsenal will be without Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes for the rest of 2024-25 after he picked up a hamstring injury against Fulham during the week, and manager Mikel Arteta has a major selection headache to deal with going forward.
The Gunners boss decided to include Will Sweet in the training sessions ahead of the Everton game today, with the 18-year-old being one of the other few natural left-sided centre-backs at the club.
Sweet trained with the first-team alongside some of the other youth teams players who are regular trainers with the senior squad, and he will hope to become more involved following the injury to Gabriel.
The teenage defender was spotted behind Raheem Sterling in some of the pictures Arsenal uploaded on their official website yesterday, but he is unlikely to be part of the matchday squad at Goodison Park today.
The Hale End academy starlet has yet to garner the needed experience required for first-team football having just made his debut in the UEFA Youth League this term.
Sweet also made his under-21s debut this season having been a regular with the under-18s for a while, and the youngster is now eyeing his first professional contract with his boyhood club.
Despite the fierce competition available at first-team level at Arsenal, Sweet has what it takes to establish himself as a Premier League star in the future, and he will be desperate to convince Arteta of his qualities whenever given the chance.
He has trained with the senior team a couple of times, scoring a header from a near-post flick-on when they worked on set pieces a few months ago, and a prospective first-team regular could be on their hands at the academy.
