Mikel Arteta calls up young Arsenal defender with 'impressive technical ability' to training pre-Sporting
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Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways in the Champions League when they take on Sporting CP on Tuesday night.
The Gunners were impressive on their return to Premier League action at the weekend as they ran out 3-0 winners over Nottingham Forest.
Now, Arsenal will look to bounce back in the Champions League, having lost 1-0 to Inter Milan just before the international break.
On Monday, the Gunners’ media team shared photos of their players in training before setting off for Lisbon.
Several academy talents were spotted in the session, including a young centre-back with ‘impressive technical ability’.
The player in question is Zane Monlouis, who was pictured vying with Gabriel Jesus for the ball.
Along with Monlouis, the likes of Maldini Kacurri and Salah-Eddine were also spotted in the session.
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Who is Arsenal youngster Zane Monlouis?
Monlouis is a 21-year-old defender who currently plies his trade with Arsenal’s Under-21s and captains them at times.
He joined the Gunners’ Hale End setup in May 2012 and signed his first professional contract in October 2020.
Monlouis has been described by Arsenal’s website as a ‘ball-playing central defender’ who is ‘cool and composed’.
Meanwhile, Gunners youth team expert Jeorge Bird has described him as a centre-back with ‘impressive technical ability’.
Monlouis was loaned to Reading in the second half of last season, but he only made one five-minute cameo for the Royals.
Arsenal v Sporting CP team news
Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli sat out Arsenal’s win over Nottingham Forest but could all come into contention against Sporting.
Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain on the sidelines due to knee issues, while Kieran Tierney is building up his fitness after returning to training last week.
For Sporting, Pedro Goncalves is out for the rest of the year after picking up a thigh injury in the win over Braga several weeks ago.
He joins fellow winger Nuno Santos on the side-lines – he will be unavailable for the rest of the season with an ACL injury.
New Sporting boss Joao Pereira highlighted Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli as major threats ahead of the game.
