Mikel Arteta calls up 19-year-old midfielder with 'much energy' to Arsenal training, Declan Rice called him his 'bro'

10/05/2024 03:17 AM

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been putting his players through their paces ahead of their last game before the international break.

The Gunners will hope to make it four wins in a row in all competitions when they host Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Arsenal will fancy their chances at home against a newly-promoted team that is yet to win in the league this term, though Mikel Arteta will obviously take nothing for granted.

The Gunners media team has been sharing photos of the players in training at London Colney, and a talented academy midfielder was spotted in Thursday’s session.

The player in question is Jimi Gower, who was pictured trying to take the ball off Raheem Sterling in training.

Who is Arsenal academy midfielder Jimi Gower?

Jimi Gower is a 19-year-old midfielder who has been a regular in Arsenal’s Under-21s this season.

He joined Arsenal in the summer of 2017 and went on to sign his first professional contract in July 2023.

Gower helped the Gunners reach the FA Youth Cup final in 2023 and then stepped up to the U21s the following season.

The Arsenal website has described Gower as a ‘silky smooth midfielder’, while Arsenal youth team expert Jeorge Bird said he ‘brings much energy to his team’.

Gower made the Arsenal bench for the Champions League trip to Atalanta and, when he posted about it on Instagram, Declan Rice praised him by saying “my bro”.

Arsenal team news v Southampton

Arsenal currently have several doubts at the back, which means Arteta may have to shuffle his defensive pack.

Jurrien Timber came off at half-time against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday with a muscular issue.

Meanwhile, Ben White missed the Champions League game with a knock and Takehiro Tomiyasu has been out all season so far with a knee issue.

Timber – who's out of the Netherlands squad for the October break – apparently remains a 'huge doubt' for the game, while White wasn't spotted in training.

The Gunners will also be without Martin Odegaard, Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko for the game.