wonderkid Marcelo Flores is set to be in the Gunners’ squad for their trip to south to take on on Monday night, according to his father.
After the two-week international break, Mikel Arteta’s side resume their quest for a top-four finish with a tricky away fixture at Selhurst Park against former captain Patrick Vieira.
Back in October, Palace were just seconds away from claiming a 2-1 victory at the Emirates until netted a 95th-minute equaliser.
Arsenal have a few selection doubts ahead of Monday’s rematch with the Eagles, with Bukayo Saka only having had a handful of training sessions after testing positive for Covid and Gabriel Martinelli returning late in the week from Brazil duty.
That might have opened up a place on the bench for an extra winger, and Arteta looks set to place his faith in 18-year-old attacking sensation Flores.
The Mexican has impressed enormously in Arsenal’s academy, netting three goals in his last four development matches against the Under-23 sides of Liverpool, Tottenham and Palace.
Now his father claims the teenager has been included in Arteta’s squad for the trip to Selhurst Park and could be in line to make his full debut off the bench.
‘So proud and excited with the first call up of Marcelo Flores with the first team at Arsenal,’ tweeted Ruben Flores on Sunday night.
‘Good luck son! You’ve been preparing all your life for moments like this.’
Arsenal have had a conveyor belt of young talent in recent years, with the likes of Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Martinelli, and Flores is considered to be on par with that trio and a potential star of the future.
Speaking to Goal.com recently, the teenager said: ‘I would like to make my Premier League debut before I turn 19, and I’d like to get my debut for Mexico and hopefully be involved in the Qatar World Cup. That’s my goal.’
Flores impressed enormously for Mexico’s Under-21 side during the international break, netting two goals – one of which was a screamer – and laying on an assist in a 3-2 win over Uruguay.
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