Photo: Young Arsenal attacking full-back who delivers 'precisely-timed crosses' spotted in training pre-Atalanta
Yesterday at 01:15 PM
Arsenal, fresh from their North London derby triumph, have now turned their attentions to their first Champions League fixture of the season.
The Gunners will soon be setting off for Bergamo as they prepare to face Atalanta in Thursday night’s 8pm BST kick-off at the Gewiss Stadium.
Arsenal stumbled somewhat against Brighton just before the international break, but their solid win over Tottenham Hotspur instantly brought optimism back to N5.
Now, the Gunners will hope to get their Champions League campaign off to the best possible start, as Aston Villa and Liverpool did on Tuesday night.
Mikel Arteta has been putting his players through their paces at London Colney, and several academy gems were also involved in the latest training session.
One photo showed a 17-year-old full-back who ‘relishes pushing forwards’ and is ‘capable of delivering precisely-timed crosses’.
Cam’ron Ismail spotted in Arsenal training pre-Atalanta
The player in question is Cam’ron Ismail, who is currently dividing his time between the Arsenal Under-18s and the Under-21s.
Ismail was spotted vying with Bukayo Saka for the ball.
The 17-year-old joined Arsenal in December 2021 as an Under-15 player, and he has been rising through the ranks.
Ismail has also been called up to Egypt’s Under-19 setup, though he is yet to make his debut for them.
According to the Arsenal website, the teenager is a ‘marauding left back’ who is ‘competitive in defensive duels, has a fierce winning mentality and has emerged as a leader both on and off the pitch.’
Meanwhile, Gunners youth team expert Jeorge Bird said Ismail ‘relishes pushing forwards’ and is ‘capable of delivering precisely-timed crosses’.
READ MORE:David Seaman shares the flaw Arsenal had that's simply 'not there any more'
Third time lucky for Ismail
The Arsenal website regularly runs a feature column called Young Gun, in which Hale End stars talk about their journey so far and their hopes for the future.
They featured Ismail in October 2023, and he spoke about a number of topics, including how he worked hard to secure a spot in Arsenal’s academy after two rejections.
“My journey to Arsenal was quite a rollercoaster,” he said. “They turned me down twice before finally signing me in September 2021.
“The rejection wasn’t easy, especially because I’m a die-hard fan. However, I never lost faith that I’d get another opportunity.
“When lockdown ended I got a third trial and after six weeks they offered me a contract.
“You could call it third time lucky but it only goes to show that if you persist, even through difficult times, you can accomplish anything. That experience made me stronger as a player.”
