Joel Campbell says he has the talent to succeed in any league in the world as he eyes the chance to fulfil his Premier League dream.
The Costa Rica international has been handed the opportunity to train with the Arsenal first team squad in Austria this week and looks set to make his debut for the club in the Emirates Cup, three years after signing from homeland side Saprissa.
While it remains to be seen whether he’ll still be a Gunner come the end of August, the 22-year-old striker says the experience he’s gained from three loan spells stands him in good stead for the future.
“The Premier League’s the most interesting in the world and I’ve always wanted to play here. It’s my dream. And I believe I’m good enough,” Campbell told The Sun.
“I’ve played around 100 games in three different divisions in Europe. Lorient in France, Real Betis in Spain and Olympiakos in Greece, where I played Champions League too.
“I’m confident of being successful in any division in the world.”
Arsenal returned from their four day training camp in Bad Waltersdorf last night and now turn their attention to their weekend clashes with Benfica and Monaco respectively.
Given Alexis Sanchez has only just started his pre-season routine and Theo Walcott is sidelined until September you’d expect Campbell to get some minutes under his belt in one or other of the games.
The last two players sharing his surname, Kevin and Sol, picked up nine major honours between them during their Arsenal careers, so you know…no pressure Joel.
Really excited to see him, Sanchez, Debuchy, Ospina and Chambers on Sunday.
Feels like an eternity.
I guess it’d be cool to see Falcao too.
Don’t worry. I bet the club have planed an epic presentation of Falcao. Like him walking out in the 2nd half wearing an arsenal shirt with fireworks going off all around him.
I don’t mean as a signing. I just mean, its a friendly and its an opportunity to see one of the worlds top players. Might as well embrace it.
Give the lad a chance! Can never have too many attackers in the squad
He”ll want to play many more games for Arsenal than perhaps will be possible this season. Tricky position for Arsene. Considering he’s just come back from a decent WC and is in the last year of his contract Arsene might want to cash on it to add some more depth in the middle of the park or in defense. Lets see how it goes!
I think we’ll give him a shot, at least until January, but I can see him getting antsy at a lack of playimte once Theo is back…then again, somebody will alawys be injured so it might well work out.
I agree completely. His stock has never been higher. I reckon Wenger will have a long hard look at him at the Emirates Cup and if he isn’t convinced he can probably pick up 15 mil or so for him now. If he has him as a sub for half the season not really using him, he’s free to talk to clubs about a Bosman by January…
Pretty sure he has two years left on the contract, not one.
Hope he can make it here – the WC performances started off great but did tail off a bit. Impact sub maybe?
Until Podolski and Ozil come back from their holidays I would keep Campbell and play him on either wing.
He can also be the 3rd choice ST behind Giroud and Sanchez too unless we sign another CF, which is looking unlikely.
But it all comes down to how much Wenger and Bouldy rate him vs Sanogo, The Ox, , Podolski , Gnabry etc
It remains a mystery why Sanogo hasn’t been loaned yet. I’m a huge fan of what I think will come from him; but he needs a regular run out. Campbell and Sanchez coming into the squad allow him that opportunity to go and get experience.
I’f Campbell succeeds then he can get a contract extension; if not, he’ll be playing for a bossman anyway so I guess he’ll be on top form. Then Sanogo can come back off of loan with PL experience and some goals under his belt
Sanogo is not going out on loan. Wenger likes a physically strong player up front in our current formation, and that means Sanogo if Giroud gets injured. The others are all too small for that role, at least in the Premier League. It might be different in the Champions League, as players are generally a bit more nippy there.
Yep, unless Wenger thinks Campbell can do that too as he is a pretty big, pretty strong guy but it is a lot different in the Prem than Greece and Internationals. I guess we’ll see.
Totally valid observation. Just personally feel like he needs that opportunity to get the ‘not-scored-a-legal-goal’ chip off of his shoulder in an atmosphere which isn’t expecting him to score 20+ etc.
That Wenger saw him as a first teamer in his first season speaks volumes (also about the lack of other options). I really do feel he can contribute. His performance against Bayern was sublime till the penalty. He clearly fucking loves it here too. Wish him the best, but I don’t think the bench is the best place for him to develop.
Campbell’s hold up play surprised me during the WC. Sure PL is a different animal but the ref’s were letting a lot of stuff go so things got pretty rough and Costa Rica faced some physical defenses like England and Greece. Still it looked like he could get control of the ball and get others into play, he seems to be quite strong.
looks like sanogo is the result of wenger’s early naughty years otherwise i dont see any reason to see him in the first team lineup
It depends on how they rate him against over 21 players and in particular Sanogo. Both are not competing with the Ox and Gnarby, since they are below 21 and hence will be part of the team (possibly with Gnarby going out for a loan, but that’s different).
Take it back, Sanogo is considered to be U21.
Although the jury is still out about whether he’ll make it at Arsenal, fair play to the lad for being shifted out to three different countries and doing pretty well in all of them. It can’t have been easy to adapt to a new league every year. Now he’s still determined to make it at Arsenal, decent attitude.
Even if we do flog him, good luck to him.
Funny how last year mainly because of injuries we had absolutely no pace but soon we will have Sanchez, Campbell, Ox and Theo available for selection. Mix them with our midfield maestros and the big men(Giroud&Sanogo), I really don’t see why we can’t challenge on all fronts! Coyg!
Personally, I’d keep Campbell and send Gnabry out on loan in the EPL.
Campbell gets a season with Arsenal to see what he can do, and Gnabry gets regular football to aid his development. Win win.
If we are gonna loan anyone it should be Sanogo not Cambell, give the guy a chance I say!
We don’t need to buy a striker. From what I have seen of campbell so far, I think he’s got the basic tenacity and confident level needed for forward. So if he improves his finishing and decision making, he’ll be one hell of a player
Just can’t help but wonder if we can play 3 at the front now with all the attacking talent we have. Campbell and Sanchez on either side of Giroud. Or is Campbell better suited to a central role? And once Walcott is back it give us even more options. Whatever it is I’m beyond excited for this season. Hope we’ve won two trophies already this season by next Sunday!
I guess we’ll find out what the intentions are when we see the squad for the CL qualifier – if JC isn’t in that then he’s off on loan again or being sold, but if he is then he’s likely to end up cup tied and therefore play some kind of role in the forthcoming season
got to say I think I’d rather JC than fruit-case Balotelli, any day of the week.
I’d definitely give Campbell a chance. As he’s said, he has experience in 3 different leagues, he’s played Champions League and the World Cup and already has 30+ international caps with 10 goals. And he’s still only 22, which I think is just the age you should be breaking into the senior squad. I think Arsene is going to use the Emirates cup and see how Campbell and other younger players fare.
Wenger must not sell cambell at all he is the type of player we need as at now giroud should site on the bench while cambell play I really love the guy and I want him to play for arsenal.
for silverware we always need a campbell in the team.joel could be the missing link.the boss stated in french tv when he was at the wc that he thought he had improved a lot.and that he will be given his chance.
Seems like his Champions’ League and World Cup experiences may have made up Campbell’s mind up for him already: either he gets a first team place at Arsenal or he’s out of here. Which is understandable. And in previous years he may well have been asked to stay. But the club has moved on and the standard of player we induct into the first team now is uniformly of a different class. Obviously, this is Wenger’s decision – aided by what he’s just seen in Austria and by what he’ll get to see during the Emirates’ Cup. But there’s more… Read more »
I rate this guy. He’s got a great attitude. Personally, I think he’ll make it here. Come on Joel!
CF : Giroud, Sanogo, (Sanchez, Campbell, Walcott)
AMF/WF/Inside Forward : Sanchez, Cazorla, Walcott, Chamberlain, Campbell, Podolski, Gnabry
Gnabry should be loaned and Walcott is still recovering but it’d still be 6 players for 2 spots. That’s a lot of options.
Campbell would probably get his chances as a sub and during the domestic cups, I can’t see him starting ahead of Sanchez, Cazorla and Walcott atm.
I’d rather see him upfront with Sanchez and Theo than Giroud. Has major potential, got pace, holds the ball well as he showed in the World Cup against top oppositions. He just needs to work on his link up play but he’ll get that with games cos grioud was terrible at that in his first season too but then that’s just me. Everyone else on here got a hard on for grioud so probably won’t agree with this
I say let Campbell stay, he has become more matured and has d experience of playing in the champions league and the world cup, he has speed and also technically gifted, can play on the wings and as a centre forward. Sanogo and Gnabry should go on loan and get some experience, let Campbell play.
I think joel should be part of this upcoming season with his experience and if he is not able to make it,we then put him on sale during the winter transfer window.But it will be foolish of wenger to sell or loan joel instead of sanogo.His height should not bring doubt cos i think he’s even taller than sergio Aguero.thanks
He was scouted, signed, loaned out. Performed to a degree at world stage, give him a run out as a sub at least!
It’s about time the boy was given a chance.
He was great in the world cup and I will always remember the great goal he scored against Man pooh in the champions league.
Imagine him at he’s best with Walcott, Chamberlain, Sanchez that is real pace and great counter attacking.
He could be our Hernandez from the bench this year. Just less cunty.
I’d have given anything to see James Rodriguez at the Emirates this weekend. If only Real Madrid didn’t c*ckblock my dream…. 🙁
I’d be happy for Joel to be our new striker. He’s more suitable for us than Giroud because he has more mobility.
Most of us have seen little of either Campbell or sonogo but from the cameos of each ide take Campbell all day long.
He could be the alternative striker to hfb many have been calling for and to loan him out again would be a huge mistake.
Keep Campbell and get a top quality dfm and I honestly believe we can challenge for the title properly. Without either we won’t be giving ourselves a realistic chance and would be wasting another golden opportunity.
I would be disappointed if he’s sent out on loan. We didnt go through all that stress of signing him, loaning him out for countless seasons,getting work permit to pass on him like that! Give the boy an opportunity to prove himself in the epl. Campbell appears so determined to make it here! which is a fantastic attitude.
I’d be surprised if we integrated Joel without a contract extension. It may be tough to get agreement on one at this point though, since his camp may well feel he’s destined to be world class. Perhaps a years extension at a high wage would give us space to assess?
I might as well join in and say “welcome aboard Joel! “. I see he has a number now on the Arsenal team page and Djourou still does not… That to says a lot.
Somebody needs to explain to me how keeping Campbell would affect our squad in terms of restrictions. I’m just too lazy/stupid to do it myself. Would someone need to go out on loan to make room? And what if we need to bring in one more defensive player? Personally, if someone must go on loan, I would like it to be Gnabry, even if it’s back to Germany, or to Spain.
You always have a chance when you have Joel Campbell in your team