Julio Pleguezuelo is targeting more games in the Arsenal side after an impressive debut for Unai Emery’s side - starting with next month’s north London derby against Tottenham.

The Spanish centre-back, a stalwart of the Hale End youth setup since joining from Barcelona shortly before his 16th birthday five years ago, made his first senior appearance for the Gunners in Wednesday’s 2-1 EFL Cup fourth round win over Blackpool.

It proved to be a baptism of fire for Pleguezuelo, 21, who was called on to repel a barrage from Blackpool in the second half after Matteo Guendouzi’s red card gave the League One visitors hope of an unlikely upset.

Pleguezuelo hopes he has done enough to retain his place in Emery’s for next month’s quarter-final, when Spurs will visit the Emirates Stadium.

“I’d love to play against Spurs! I have to keep working and see if I can get another shot,” Pleguezuelo told Standard Sport.

He added: “I couldn’t be any happier after making my debut in front of the fans. This is a club I love and I’d love to play for more often. All I can do is keep working.”

Pleguezuelo might have been entitled to wonder if his chance would ever come at senior level six years after he followed in the footsteps of Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin by leaving Barcelona for Arsenal.

Loan spells with Spanish second tier sides Mallorca and Gimnastica had not been unqualified successes but the youngster has impressed with Freddie Ljungberg’s Under-23 side this season, earning a call-up to Emery’s squad.

“It’s been quite a long time since I joined the club, six years to be fair,” Pleguezuelo said. “I couldn’t be any happier for today, I’m buzzing.

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“All I could do was keep working and working, trying to gain experience going out on loan. Obviously this year I came back and pushed myself to play for the first team.

"I knew somehow, sometime my chance would come.”

Pleguezuelo was one of four U23 graduates in Emery’s squad on Wednesday along with goalscorer Emile Smith Rowe and substitutes Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah.

Ljungberg had told Standard Sport on Tuesday of his delight to see his young charges making the step up to senior level and Pleguezuelo revealed it was the Arsenal legend who broke the news of his imminent debut to him.

“He gave me a call to congratulate me. I didn’t know I was going to be starting today. I had a little chat with him, he gave me the news. I was really, really happy. He told me to stay calm, play like I do, that’s all.”