“I decided to make him our permanent striker for now since Merino failed to impressive in the last two games”: Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has promoted an aggressive academy striker who has scored 74-goals in just 20-games at youth level

Arsenal youth striker Khayon Edwards was one of the academy players to join first-team training on Tuesday, ahead of the midweek match against Nottingham Forest.

Jeorge Bird reports for Arsenal Youth that seven Arsenal academy players were involved in first-team training with Mikel Arteta’s side on Tuesday, with striker Khayon Edwards among the group.

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji also remains involved, as well as winger Ismeal Kabia. Right-back Josh Nichols, midfielder Ismail Oulad M’Hand, Michal Rosiak (who can play at both right-back and in midfield), and goalkeeper Tommy Setford were all involved in the session as well.

Arsenal have an extra squad spot on Wednesday as a result of Myles Lewis-Skelly’s suspension, so it’s likely one of the above players will join Butler-Oyedeji in getting a first-team call-up to travel to Nottingham.

Arteta will probably call up forward players, given the current senior injury crisis in the front three.

Kabia is the most likely to step up, having made his first-team debut earlier in the season. Butler-Oyedeji would be the youth centre-forward option with Kabia as an option on the wing.

But calling up Edwards wouldn’t be any more restrictive. Butler-Oyedeji can also play out wide, so with Edwards and Butler-Oyedeji, Arteta would still have at least one central option and one wide option.

Edwards hasn’t been given any chances in the Arsenal first-team squad this season, but he’s scored and assisted 12 goals in 12 games in the Premier League 2 with the u21s.

That’s the kind of form that saw Butler-Oyedeji called up, so maybe Edwards could be the next in line.