Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has allowed youngster Marcus McGuane to join first-team training ahead of the FA Cup final.
Defensive pair Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel Paulista will miss the all-London showdown at Wembley Stadium, with Shkodran Mustafi also a major doubt as he continues to recover from concussion.
It has left Wenger short at centre-back and although he could potentially line up with Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker and Nacho Monreal at the back, it appears that he has called upon one of the club's youth players to help out in training.
McGuane - an England Under-17 international - is yet to make a first-team appearance for Arsenal but he was pictured with the senior squad on Wednesday.
He has played 31 times in the youth setup during the current campaign, but featuring among the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez has thrown open the suggestion that he may have a role to play on the bench or in reserve at the weekend.
Darren Plant
