Arsenal Submit 33-Player Champions League B-List as Max Dowman and Young Stars Get Napoli Chance

Mikel Arteta will be determined to go one step further this season after Arsenal came agonisingly close to winning the club's first Champions League title in May.

The Gunners drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain after extra-time in the most recent final before eventually losing 4-3 on penalties.

Now Arsenal begin another European campaign against Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with Arteta's squad containing a mixture of established first-team stars and some of the club's most promising youngsters.

Arsenal's B-List gives young stars a Champions League route

UEFA rules allow clubs to register an unlimited number of eligible players on List B during the season, provided they meet the relevant age and registration requirements.

That means Arsenal can give academy players Champions League opportunities without using places on their 25-man A-List squad.

And there are some particularly interesting names among the 33 players Arsenal have registered.

Max Dowman, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are all included, alongside a large group of other academy prospects.

The B-List also contains three goalkeepers — Khari Ranson, Jack Porter and Jack Talbot — while the defensive contingent includes Brayden Clarke, Joshua Ogunnaike, Josiah King, Teshaun Murisa, Abraham Owusu-Gyasi, Patrick Stachow, Joshua Tahou, Hakeem Abubakar, Elyon Mbala, Marli Salmon, Joshua Charlie Sesay and others.

The midfield group includes Dowman, Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri alongside Andre Annous, Ife Ibrahim, Theo Julienne, Louie Copley, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Max Dowman, Brando Bailey-Joseph, Maalik Hashi, Saurap Sampang, Emerson Nwaneri and Charlie Purdy.

The forwards registered on the B-List are Ceadach O'Neill, Louis Zecevic-John, Marley Frohock, Bowen Bradley Phillips and Jayden Daniel Tomiwa Oba.

Arsenal's A-List shows Arteta's Champions League ambitions

The senior squad is headlined by a formidable group of established players.

David Raya, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Illan Meslier are the three goalkeepers, while Arteta has defensive options including Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie, Ezri Konsa and Cristhian Mosquera.

The midfield contains some of Arsenal's biggest summer additions and established stars, with Eberechi Eze, Bruno Guimaraes, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi all registered.

Up front, Arsenal can call upon Viktor Gyokeres, Bukayo Saka, Christos Tzolis, Kai Havertz and Noni Madueke.

That combination underlines the scale of Arteta's ambitions after last season's painful Champions League final defeat.

What the B-List means for Arsenal

The presence of so many youngsters does not mean Arsenal will suddenly turn to their academy for the Napoli opener.

Instead, the B-List gives Arteta greater flexibility during a long Champions League campaign.

Young players who satisfy UEFA's eligibility rules can be called upon when required, providing additional depth while allowing Arsenal to preserve their A-List places for the senior squad.

For supporters, however, the biggest attraction is obvious: the possibility of seeing the next generation of Arsenal talent on Europe's biggest club stage.

Players such as Dowman, Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri now have a route into Champions League matchday squads if Arteta decides their development has reached that stage.

Arsenal begin another Champions League push

The Napoli clash represents the first step in another attempt to finally get Arsenal over the line in Europe.

The Gunners have already demonstrated that they can compete with the continent's best, but their penalty shootout defeat to PSG showed just how fine the margins can be at the highest level.

Arteta now has a deeper senior squad at his disposal, while the club's extensive B-List provides another layer of young talent waiting for an opportunity.

For Arsenal, the objective is clear: turn last season's heartbreak into Champions League success this time around.