Arsenal’s band of loanees provide cause for concern

Arsenal often loan out such a high number of players simultaneously that it is usually rather difficult to keep track of their respective developments. This season, however, that task has been far simpler, owing largely to the fact that many of the young Gunners currently on temporary transfer have struggled to feature regularly for their temporary sides.

There have been some notable exceptions, with Chuks Aneke performing well enough at Crewe Alexandra to earn two extensions to his deal with the League One side, the most recent of which will see his deal run until the end of next month. The 19 year old has performed well so far this campaign, demonstrating an ability to play in a deeper midfield role than he is used to, whilst also showcasing his impressive passing ability.

The majority of the other Arsenal loanees, however, have endured torturous spells on the road. Ryo, for example, has only started once for Wigan Athletic, making a further five substitute appearances at the DW Stadium. Granted, the Japanese youngster has struggled with injury in recent weeks, but he is clearly not a major part of Roberto Martinez’s plans and a termination of his loan deal in January would surely be the best solution for all parties, as it would provide Arsenal with a further, if hugely inexperienced option on the left flank. The most likely option, however,  is that he will remain with Wigan until the end of the season as such agreements are difficult to break.

Benik Afobe, too, is struggling at Bolton Wanderers, which has traditionally been a happy breeding ground for young Arsenal talents, such as Jack Wilshere and Ryo himself. Afobe, though, has struggled to gain a regular place in the side and has found the net just twice. Once billed as one of the Academy’s brightest talents, Afobe is still to make his competitive debut for the Arsenal first-team and, at present, is in danger of being usurped by new flavour of the month Chuba Akpom in the striking department.

Joel Campbell has fared a little better at Real Betis. The striker, who has consistently battled with work permit issues that have prevented him from appearing in red and white at any level, did well at Lorient last campaign, and has featured 10 times for Betis this time around, although, like Afobe, he has struggled on the goal front, scoring only once. A powerful presence and adept at delivering good crosses, it is currently unclear whether Campbell will find himself at Emirates Stadium next season, although the Costa Rican certainly needs to develop more consistency in his game before he is able to be considered a genuine option.

These are not just isolated arguments to prove a point- Conor Henderson and Daniel Boateng, not to mention more experienced players such as Nicklas Bendtner and Ju-Young Park, have also struggled to feature regularly. Loan spells have worked wonders for Arsenal in the past, as the likes of Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny and Alex Song have shown, but the success or otherwise of this season’s contingent demonstrates that, in some cases, far more thought and consideration needs to be put into where some of these youngsters are sent and how they are managed at their temporary clubs.