Given the rather absurd amount of centre-backs on Arsenal’s books, it doesn’t appear to be a particularly easy position in which for youngsters to break through in the near future.
Including players out on loan, there are eight centre-backs in the first-team squad, and a further six in the U23s along with three second-year scholars.
For Taylor Foran, who also has to compete with the likes of Zach Awe and Zane Monlouis in his own scholarship intake, the path to the first-team doesn’t exactly seem clear at present.
Situations can change very quickly, though, and for now Foran should concentrate on making as much of an impact as he can when he is given the opportunity.
The 16-year-old has certainly got off to an encouraging start since swapping Hale End for London Colney and yesterday he featured for the U23s in an internal fixture.
Foran scored a header in that game and is certainly heading in the right direction as far as his development is concerned.
A player with impressive leadership skills who is a good reader of the game, Foran first shot to prominence when he was named on the bench for the U18s as an U15 player against Norwich in March 2019.
Last season he made his debut for the U18s, featuring as a substitute in the FA Youth Cup success against Cheltenham Town.
Foran is one of a host of talented new scholars at Arsenal and he will be hoping to gain as much experience as possible for the U18s, while if others are unavailable, opportunities may arise in the U23s.
Despite the many centre-backs at Arsenal, he certainly still has a chance of progressing very far.
Jeorge Bird's Arsenal Youth 
If Arteta continues to favour 3 at the back, I would really fancy my chances of a breakthrough if I was a young mobile left sided centre back or a dominant two footed ball playing centre back. The squad seems stacked with right sided cb’s and has only just been increased really to 2 with the signing of Gabriel, with Mari injured there would certainly be a position in the u23s for a leftie, with medley and oluwu both out on loan
Not likely. Even if Sokratis is sold, by the time the EL and cup games start we would have 6 CBs up and running. Assuming the first choice CBs are Saliba-Luiz-Gabriel, there will be Mustafi-Holding-Mari availible by November. Maybe even Chambers joins them.
With Medley already on loan and Ballard on the trajectory to gain experience with another Championship club, I see little chance for U23 players to actually play. Maybe McGuinness can sit on the bench a few times…