Dowman named in Arsenal’s Champions League squad but striker misses out | OneFootball

Arsenal have confirmed their UEFA Champions League squad for the league phase, with 15-year-old Max Dowman included, while Gabriel Jesus has been left out.

Jesus has been out since January with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, but has recently returned to training individually at the training ground as part of his rehabilitation and recovery programme.

His omission suggests he may not be ready to return before the end of the league phase, or that Mikel Arteta is not willing to risk the Brazilian forward after such a serious injury.

Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly do not need to be named on ‘List A’, as they qualify as ‘locally trained’ players. Under the UEFA rulebook, this refers to players who have been registered with a club for three entire seasons (i.e. the period between the first and last official match of the relevant national championship) or of 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.

Dowman, 15, made his competitive debut against Leeds United last month but does not yet qualify as homegrown, meaning he has been named on List A instead.

Arteta has named all eight of Arsenal’s summer signings in the squad, with the likes of Eberechi Eze and Christian Norgaard set for their first taste of Champions League football.

The list can be changed upon completion of the league phase, should Arsenal progress to the knockout stage.

Arsenal’s full Champions League A list squad:

Goalkeepers: David Raya, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Tommy Setford

Defenders: William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White, Piero Hincapie, Gabriel, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori

Midfielders: Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Christian Norgaard, Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke, Mikel Merino, Kai Havertz, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Max Dowman

Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres