Zelalem amongst seven youngsters to train with Arsenal first-team

A host of players may have been absent due to international commitments but Arsenal still held a first-team training session at London Colney today, with a group of youngsters making up the numbers.

Amongst them was Gedion Zelalem, with the midfielder finally closing in on a return to full fitness following a lengthy injury layoff.

Emile Smith Rowe had been named in the England U19 squad but instead remained at Arsenal, and he was joined in the training session by Julio Pleguezuelo, Robbie Burton, Charlie Gilmour and Nathan Tormey.

Intriguingly, Tolaji Bola also trained and the left-back, who has yet to make a senior appearance, must surely be in contention to be involved in the Carabao Cup at least given the club’s current lack of backup options in his position.

As far as first-team players are concerned, Petr Cech, Bernd Leno, Emiliano Martinez Hector Bellerin, Shkodran Mustafi, Nacho Monreal, Matteo Guendouzi, Rob Holding, Mesut Ozil and Alex Lacazette all trained.

Sokratis Papastahopoulos, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Konstantinos Mavropanos (U21s), Mohamed Elneny, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Aaron Ramsey, Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck are all on international duty.

Meanwhile, Laurent Koscielny, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sead Kolasinac and Carl Jenkinson are all injured.

Regarding the U23 squad, Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock, Xavier Amaechi, Tyreece John-Jules and Jordan McEneff all have international commitments. Jordi Osei-Tutu and Cohen Bramall remain injured.

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