Jack Porter Becomes Youngest Arsenal Starter in Carabao Cup

Jack Porter, at just 16 years and 72 days old, has become the youngest-ever player to start for Arsenal’s first team. He was included in the lineup for the Carabao Cup match against Bolton Wanderers, surpassing the previous record held by Cesc Fabregas, who was 16 years and 177 days old when he played against Rotherham United in October 2003.

Porter is also the second-youngest player to appear in an Arsenal first-team match, following Ethan Nwaneri. Nwaneri set the Premier League record in September 2022 at 15 years and 181 days when he came on as a substitute against Brentford. Furthermore, Porter’s starting role makes him the youngest goalkeeper for Arsenal, a title previously held by Malcolm Webster who debuted at 18 years and 308 days old.

The young goalkeeper joined Arsenal in 2020 and has been progressing through the club’s ranks. He appeared four times for Jack Wilshere’s academy side in the U18 Premier League last season before signing scholarship terms. Internationally, Porter has been capped at the under-16 level and participated in England’s Football Federations Cup victory last year, showcasing his skills by conceding only one goal in three matches. More recently, he debuted for the under-17s in a match against Germany.

Porter was recently named on Arsenal’s first-team bench for their Champions League game against Atalanta and was part of the squad for both the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur and the match against Manchester City. His inclusion in the Carabao Cup squad comes amid injuries to other Arsenal goalkeepers, including the first-choice keeper who limped onto the team bus after a recent match.

Backup goalkeeper Neto is unavailable for the Cup match, having previously played for Bournemouth before his loan move to Arsenal. Additionally, third-choice keeper Tommy Setford is injured, making Porter the only available choice for manager Mikel Arteta.

Arteta is expected to make several lineup changes following a 2-2 draw against Manchester City, in which the Gunners were reduced to 10 men after a red card for Leandro Trossard. Trossard is now suspended, while injuries to Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino have also impacted team selections. Other young talents, such as Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, are anticipated to feature in upcoming matches.

Porter, who is yet to sign professional terms, is highly regarded within Arsenal’s setup and has trained with the first team. His performance in training and with the under-21s has provided him this opportunity, and Arsenal remains vigilant about monitoring their goalkeeper’s developmental trajectory as he steps onto the senior stage.