18-year-old Marcelo Flores is set to be included in the Arsenal squad for the first time tonight as the Gunners face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The news was confirmed by the midfielder’s father, Ruben, on Twitter ahead of Monday’s clash, which will see Arsenal regain the fourth spot with a draw.
The tweet stated: “So proud and excited with the first call up of Marcelo Flores with the first team [of] Arsenal,”
“Good luck son, you’ve been preparing all your life for moments like this.”
So proud and excited with the first call up of @marceloflores with the first team @arsenal
Good luck son ?? you’ve been preparing all your life for moments like this #Flor3s
— Ruben Flores ?? (@Ruboflores) April 3, 2022
This season, the youngster has scored ten goals in 20 games for the Gunners Under-18 and Under-23 teams.
Arsenal signed the midfielder in 2019 from Ipswich, who he joined after being spotted playing on the Cayman Islands – where his dad managed the women’s national team – and will now get the invaluable experience of being around a Premier League first-team on a matchday three years later.
Flores was born in Canada but represents Mexico, the country of his father’s birth, and made his senior debut for the national team last year.
Mikel Arteta has called up a number of youngsters to the first-team squad this season with both Zak Swanson and Omari Hutchinson on the bench for the win at Aston Villa last time out.
Although it is highly unlikely the 18-year-old will get minutes tonight, experiences like this are crucial for developing players and it once again shows the know-how of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, as this is a little trick Jurgen Klopp has used at Liverpool with great effect.