Arsenal’s final training session before their UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg fixture against PSV Eindhoven featured three promising youngsters of Nigerian descent.
Manager Mikel Arteta included Ethan Nwaneri, Ifeoluwa Ibrahim, and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji in Monday’s session at the Sobha Realty Training Centre in London Colney.
Nwaneri, an attacking midfielder, and Butler-Oyedeji, a forward, have previously been named in Champions League squads, while Ibrahim, a defensive midfielder, is yet to receive a first-team call-up.
However, Ibrahim’s promotion to senior training comes just days after an impressive display against Manchester United in the FA Youth Cup.
A versatile player capable of operating as a centre-back or right-back, the 17-year-old has shown exceptional composure on the ball.
He joined Arsenal in 2016 after a successful trial and made his U18 competitive debut while still in school.
Meanwhile, Nwaneri is expected to be part of the squad traveling to the Netherlands, as he was seen among the Arsenal players at Luton Airport ahead of their departure for Eindhoven.
