Arsenal’s policy of recruiting youngsters from non-EU countries has not exactly been met with much success. Carlos Vela is now thriving in Spain but failed to establish himself as a regular at Arsenal, Pedro Botelho didn’t feature for the first-team in his five years at the club and a similar fate is set to befall Samuel Galindo, with the Bolivian having not played a single minute of competitive football at any level this season.
Joel Campbell could well prove to be the exception to the rule when he returns from his latest loan spell this summer, but there is another young winger who will be hoping that his chance of success at Emirates Stadium hasn’t completely expired yet. Wellington Silva secured a move to Arsenal in 2010 amidst much publicity, but has rather dropped off the radar in recent times owing to some unsuccessful loan spells in Spain.
Wellington has spent time with Levante, Alcoyano and Ponferradina without setting the world alight but this season, at Real Murcia in the Spanish second division, the Brazilian has enjoyed considerably more success. The 21 year old has featured regularly for his temporary side in recent weeks and, although he’s only scored two goals this campaign, the majority of his performances have been mightily impressive.
Wellington is finally beginning to develop the tactical understanding to complement his undoubted technical ability, whilst his searing runs and dangerous crosses have helped him to maintain his place in he starting line-up. He has a little over two years remaining on his contract in England, but, with his work permit problems now firmly behind him, he will be hoping to finally receive an opportunity to prove his worth at a higher level.
The winger is no stranger to senior football, having featured competitively for his former side Fluminense before he joined Arsenal, but he will be seeking to impress when he returns to London for pre-season training in July. For the past two years he has trained with the U21 team, but this year, with many players away at the World Cup, he will hope to at least play some part in the senior team’s preparatory fixtures.
Beyond that, a loan spell in the Championship, to help him adjust to the rigours of English football, would be particularly beneficial. It is clear that Wellington has much talent and, although many may consider his Arsenal chance to be long gone, it would be rather a shame to see him depart without at least being afforded a genuine opportunity to impress.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
if vela got the number of chances in the first team like ramsey did he could have shown his true potential what he is currently doing at real sociedad. Getting the faith of manager lead to the emergence of ramsey as worldclass simillarly this kid silva has all the attributed of a winger – pace,skills,agility .all what he needs is the trust of the manager.
Hope he makes it. A few years ago everyone thought he was going to make it big but he dropped out of sight suddenly.
And I agree completely, a loan to a championship team should do him great! Always a shame to see a youth player not end up making it and it’s always great to see a youth plaayer that does. Hopefull for Silva it’ll be the latter and we’ll all be happy.
It’ll be interesting to see if he can stand on his own merits finally. It’s time he got loaned in the a top English league to see what he can handle, and if he actually has what it takes, or if he’ll become like the talented Miyaichi.
Why would he need a loan in the Championship? The brasilerso is rough as fuck mate!
We keep picking up these kids who come from leagues and styles that are so different to the PL and wonder why it doesn’t work out. They need to get the confidence to take players on and the attitude to let a rough tackle not faze them…not easy. I can almost guarantee that they have 400 times the technical ability of the English lads but just aren’t up for it as they say.
it’s football. yes, there’s some adaptation needed among the different leagues. but it’s a simple game. hope he’s afforded a chance.
goonergent89: do you realize this – when carlos vela was at the club, we failed to win anything…
a few months for the reserves and a possible capital one cup appearance or two, followed by a loan period in the championship, that should help wenger decide. TBH the same approach should apply to bellerin, gnabry, ryo, eisfeld, hayden, sanogo, akpom, toral, Olsson, afobe, ansah, zelalem, boateng, galindo, ajayi, miquel, Martinez, macey, iliev, jebb, lipman, pleguezuelo, huddart, iwobi, although for some they have already had that chance, whilst others still have time on their side. In fact I wouldn’t mind seeing that squad playing as a b team next season, just a shame they have to wait!! For me… Read more »
Broken leg Diaby, what a loss of resource
One word
Denilson
Just cos he’s Brazilian with good technical ability doesn’t mean he will make it. And Densilson got loads of chances, way way too many.
Wenger has never let a youngster go that has been amazing at a top top club. If he doesn’t keep him it’s because he isn’t good enough in a top 4 team. Vela included
it’s true. while arsene’s taken a swing and missed on a number of players, i don’t think his letting of any young player has ever come back to haunt him.
Hmm.. I say Vela is ready for a return.. Seeing as we have a cheap buy back option why not bring him back? If anything we can sell him again for more… He have a recent interview talking about the buy back option arsenal have and him willing to return..
it’s an interesting prospect. but are campbell, vela, and giroud good enough, or is that elusive “top class” striker needed?
We will have room for two with Bendtner and Park going, and with what we can get Vela back for, the transfer fee will hardly be noticeable. Still no saying he will cut it in the PL though.
Vela mainly plays out wide for sociedad. We could do with another natural left footer for the flanks 😉
Vela can play as a lone CF as he has done many times for Sociedad. I’m a huge fan of Wellington. His problem, much like Vela, was mental (remember, it’s no coincidence Wenger lost the faith in Vela after the Mexico hooked fiasco and him leaving his passport behind for a very important CL game). For a while it seemed his undoubted ability would go to the gutter due to his poor work ethic (also remember he left his home at 17 to live by himself alone in Spain) but he seems to have finally matured. In every one of… Read more »
Personally, Im just sohhh fucking tiered of a lot of these players Arsenal sign, not get the same protection as Sterling, I mean PLEASE, not even Jack as another English player is wrapped in cotton wool the way Sterling has been. Am I really the only one to have noticed how Yaya Sonogo has been robbed from scorring that all important first goal that is so important to a player’s growth. Instead of having a well-blooded player, we now have a player still so fucking raw. Twice the ball was in the net and he got blown offside, whilst on… Read more »
Rocker science is beyond me!