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Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

Arsenal signing Mikel Arteta can field for the first time in friendly - and it's not Kai Havertz

With Arsenal yet to officially announce the signings of Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, there will not be too many new faces on show against Nurnberg later today as a result.

Aside from £65million signing Kai Havertz, almost every player that has been selected for the pre-season training camp in Germany has made at least one appearance for the Gunners at some level. Of course, in the cases of Reuell Walters and Myles Lewis-Skelly they have only featured in friendlies thus far.

And as fellow wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri became the club's youngest-ever player to make a Premier League appearance after coming off the bench against Brentford last season, there aren't too many potential debutants that manager Mikel Arteta has the luxury of fielding on Thursday.

Having said that, it may have slipped many supporters' minds that there is someone in addition to Havertz who is in line to make his first-ever appearance for the Gunners against Nurnberg. That happens to be Auston Trusty, an arrival at the Emirates Stadium from MLS side Colorado Rapids in the 2022 January transfer window for a fee believed to be in the region of £1.5million.

Although, as the USMNT defender was immediately loaned back to his former club for the remainder of that campaign and then spent last season on loan at Birmingham City it means he's yet to play for the north London outfit - whether that be competitively or non-competitively.

But that could change. Part of the batch of Arsenal players reporting for pre-season training last weekend after an extended break and handed the number 32 shirt, he is with the squad in Germany and it would appear that he's in contention to get some minutes under his belt against Nurnberg.

READ MORE: Timber presented, Saliba bonus and Arsenal transfer hints to look out for in pre-season friendly

As a left-sided central defender, who can operate at left-back if required, naturally Trusty will be competing with Gabriel Magalhaes, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu for game time so there's no guarantee that he will make it on to the pitch.

Even if the 24-year-old does make his Arsenal debut, it's clear that his short-term future is elsewhere. Amid links to newly-promoted Championship side Ipswich Town, football.london understands he is one of several senior players whom the club are open to selling if the right offer arrives before the summer transfer window closes.

Considering how far down the pecking order Trusty is at the moment - in both positions that he's capable of performing in - barring a spectacular turn of events in pre-season and a change of heart from Arteta, then it would be beneficial for his development to seek a move before deadline day

Who should Arsenal keep or sell this summer? Have your say below!

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