Teenage midfielder eligible for Nigeria, Spain, England, India trains with Arsenal first team pre-Brentford 

Manager Mikel Arteta reportedly observed promising central midfielder Zac Shuaib at close quaters ahead of side's Premier League clash against Brentford at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal youth team guru Jeorge Bird informed on Friday that the Spanish football tactician promoted two teenagers of Nigerian descent to first team training on Thursday, the other being Anglo-Nigerian-Egyptian fullback Cam'ron Ismail.

Arteta did not provide injury updates on fullbacks Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), or Jurrien Timber (ACL)  during his pre-match press conference ahead of the visit of the Bees.

It is believed Shuaib and Ismail were called up to train with the first team to make up the numbers.

The chances of Shuaib making the matchday squad are slim considering the fact that experienced midfielders Mo Elneny, Emile Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira, Kai Havertz and Declan Rice were all spotted training on Thursday.

Shuaib is eligible represent Nigeria through his father, Spain and India through his mother, and is also qualified to play for the Young Lions as he grew up in England.

This season, Shuaib has appeared in four matches in the U18 Premier League, while Ismail has played in ten games and has been called up for development squad matches in the EFL Trophy and Premier League 2 without earning minutes. 

The two Nigeria-eligible players are in the first year of their scholarships at Arsenal, though the left-back is now eligible to sign a professional contract having celebrated his seventeenth birthday last November. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit: arsenal.com

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