Unai Emery Looking To Promote Gunners Starlet As He Plays Down Move For A Defender

Unai Emery says Dinos Mavropanos will get his chance in the first team…

Arsenal boss Unai Emery has revealed that starlet Dinos Mavropanos is fit and is ready to play ahead of our Premier League clash against Cardiff City.

With the transfer window coming to a close at midnight on Thursday night, the injuries picked up by Sokratis and Laurent Koscielny in our FA Cup clash against Manchester United has left us short in defence.

However, while facing the media to preview Tuesday Premier League clash, Emery encouraged Mavropanos’ role in the team and has backed him to feature against Neil Warnock’s side.

After starting his Arsenal career impressively last January, the Greek defender suffered a groin injury during this summer which has kept him out this season.

Instead of delving into the market for a loan, Emery is looking for the 21-year-old to step-up.

“He is working with us the last month and playing with the under 23s and he is ok,” Emery told reporters, via Arsenal Player.

“The first half, can work with him for the squad tomorrow.

“He is in the squad with the possibility to play.”

Emery was later pressed on our apparent injury crisis in defence and the Spaniard is of the opinion that buying a player in that position wasn’t the best idea given that we have a number of short-term injury problems.

Sokratis is expected back at the end of February and the club is still waiting to see the full extent of Koscielny’s facial injury.

“We have enough players who can play centre back in the squad. The problem is we’re having a lot of injuries in this position.

“We have enough players. If we can bring another player, and all the other players we have are well to play, then we could maybe have a problem in the future.”