Pablo Mari is in line to make his Arsenal debut against Portsmouth on Monday night, Mikel Arteta has confirmed.
The central defender has been limited to U23's football thus far despite sealing his loan move from Flamengo to the Emirates Stadium during the final days of the January transfer window.
Earlier in the month he played 45 minutes against Chelsea in a Premier League 2 encounter and repeated the trick 24 hours after the first-team were beaten 2-1 by Olympiacos in the Europa League.
Mari alongside Rob Holding, Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all featured for the U23's on Friday night against Man City and Arteta has hinted at squad rotation for the cup tie.
"Yeah I think they need minutes like Rob, Reiss and Ainsley as well," Arteta said in his pre-match press conference. "It was a good game for them to get the fitness levels tested and they trained today really well.
"They're ready to play."
Nelson had been a regular in the Arsenal team following Arteta's appointment back in December, but suffered an hamstring injury ahead of the 1-1 draw against Sheffield United.
Subsequently he missed games against the Blades, Chelsea, Bournemouth and Burnley but returned to training during the trip to Dubai and was an unused substitute against Everton.
Meanwhile, Holding's last appearance came in the FA Cup fourth round win at the Vitality Stadium and Maitland-Niles was a late introduction in the first-leg against Olympiacos.
In games against Everton as well as Olympiacos, the Gunners' players looked to be suffering with fatigue so Arteta could welcome the chance to freshen things up.
With that said, the Gunners head coach is keen to reach the final of a competition he has named "special".
"It's really special," he added. "It's probably one of the nicest games of the season when you play the final day.
"In England at Wembley, nice weather, an incredible atmosphere and it's a trophy that we very much link with our history.
"We want to continue to be attached to that knowing that on Monday night, in Portsmouth, it will be tough."
