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17-year-old Reuell Walters included in Arsenal squad for pre-season tour of USA
Reuell Walters has been included in Mikel Arteta’s pre-season tour squad with Arsenal departing for the USA on Wednesday, 13 July.
Arteta’s team will have three pre-season games in the US with games against Everton, Orlando and Chelsea with his squad list being confirmed via the club’s official website.
It has now been announced that Walters will join the squad, with the 17-year-old being the only member of the Arsenal academy being called up to compete on the tour.
Big chance for the teenager
Walters signed for the Arsenal youth academy after spells with Peckham Town and a four-year stint with North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. [Football London]
Football London reported that: “Walters joined the Gunners after his break from football and he’s progressed well ever since.
“Following spells in both the under-18s and the under-23s last season, he signed his first professional contract with Arsenal in February of this year.”
The right-back, who can also be deployed at centre-back, made 33 appearances for Arsenal youth teams, establishing himself as a promising and versatile defender, capable of playing multiple positions.
Walters also impressed in his Arsenal debut, a pre-season win against Nuremberg on 8 July in Germany starting the game at centre-back partnered next to Spanish centre-back, Pablo Mari.
Wearing number 97, he showed fantastic defensive awareness, strength and recovery speed in the first half when Kwadwo Duah ran through on goal and the teenager was able to sprint back, get goalside of the forward and regain possession in a composed fashion.
Throughout his performance, he was tidy on the ball, adept at playing from the back, and regained possession several times.
The former Tottenham youth player has clearly impressed Arteta to be picked for the pre-season squad ahead of players like Charlie Patino, Omari Hutchinson, and Marcelo Flores and he will be eager to show the first-team manager what he is capable in America.
In other Arsenal news, the Gunners have been linked with a move for Aston Villa’s Carney Chukwuemeka.