Mikel Arteta promotes 5 Arsenal youngsters to first team amid growing injury crisis

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has integrated several youngsters into the first team as he looks for solutions to the club's current injury crisis.

The Gunners are currently without Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney, with the latter being ruled out for the season after requiring surgery on his knee. Several youngsters have been called up to first team training at London Colney including Mazeed Ogungbo, Charlie Patino, Miguel Azeez and January signing Lino Sousa.

Arteta is seeking solutions to Arsenal's injury crisis and continues to assess the Gunners' internal options ahead of a crucial Premier League run in. Marcelo Flores is another player who has been integrated into the first team and he was recently named on the bench for the game against Crystal Palace.

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Flores, who has scored ten goals in 20 games for the Under-18 and Under-23 teams, is considered one of Arsenal's most talented prospects. The 18-year-old was born in Canada but currently represents Mexico, where he made his senior debut last year.

Flores recently revealed that he has aspirations of making his Premier League debut before he turns 19 in October. “I would like to make my Premier League debut before I turn 19,” Flores said in an interview with Goal. “That’s my goal.”

“And I’d like to get my proper international debut for Mexico and hopefully be involved in the Qatar World Cup. I idolise players like [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo and Neymar, who have all done the same thing.

“Looking up to players like them, you want to match what they did because like any player, my ultimate dream is to win things like the Champions League and the