Arsenal released their 25-man squad for the 2023/24 Premier League season on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, and it featured all the expected names.
Summer signings Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and loan-signing David Raya were registered by Mikel Arteta.
Regular attacking tridents of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Gabriel Jesus also made the count, with other familiar names in attack.
Captain Martin Odegaard was also shortlisted, with Thomas Teye Partey also amongst the players selected by Arteta.
Arsenal revealed in a statement on their website that due to Premier League rules, “the 25 players cannot contain no more than 17 who do not fulfill (homegrown) criteria.”
This means about 8 players of whatever nationality or age, must have been registered with a club in England or Wales for at least three entire seasons before the player is aged 21.
Arsenal still have the freedom to play as many U-21s as they want throughout the season, because there is no rules barring players below that age.
There wouldn’t be any changes to the squad until the January transfer window, when more changes could be made, depending on the business done by the club in the winter transfer window.
Mikel Arteta’s side are aiming to win the Premier League title, having “bottled” the trophy from an advantageous position last season.
They will be banking on the additions made this summer to come in handy for the club throughout the season.
Who is James Hilson?
Meanwhile, there was a name included in the 25-man list released by Arsenal, and it is the name of goalkeeper James Hillson.
Hilson based on the newly released list would be the Gunners third choice goalkeeper, and he was shortlisted due to his heroics with the Under 21s last season.
Following the squad revealed by Arsenal, many fans paid particular attention to the young goalkeeper, requesting to know more about him.
Well, according to how the goalie has been described by Arsenal, James Hillson is “a goalkeeper who always establishes a strong command of his area.”
They also revealed that Hilson was on the bench for the Gunners in three Europa League matches last season.
James Hilson joined Arsenal permanently from Reading on July 2, 2019, on a free-transfer, and he “regularly trains” with the senior goalkeepers at the club.
He was born on January 14, 2001, and he is 22 years old. This is his fifth season at the North London club, and the Gunners state that: “he is a vital part of the goalkeeping fraternity in the youth section.”
Arsenal 25-man Premier League squad for the 2023/24 season:
Goalkeepers: Aaron Ramsdale*, David Raya*, James Hilson*.
Defenders: Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior, Ben White*, William Saliba*, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, Cedric Soares, Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Midfielders: Mohamed Elneny, Jorginho, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice*, Emile Smith Rowe*, Fabio Vieira.
Forwards: Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli*, Reiss Nelson*, Eddie Nketiah*, Bukayo Saka*, Leandro Trossard.
* Denotes “homegrown players”
