The first half of the season has been rather frustrating for several of Arsenal’s loanees, but Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Jon Toral have bucked the trend, with the prospects having thrived in the Championship with Ipswich Town and Birmingham City respectively.
The pair are at different stages of their development, with Maitland-Niles aged just 18 and Toral slightly more experienced at the age of 20.
There have been some strong similarities between them this season, however, with both players doing their utmost to prove that they are capable of making the grade at Arsenal in the long-term.
Maitland-Niles is certainly an intriguing talent. A product of the club’s Hale End academy, he spent much of last season operating as a central-midfielder and made some fleeting appearances for the Arsenal first-team. This season he has reverted to his favoured right wing position and has thrived, holding down a regular starting place for Mick McCarthy’s side.
Possessing pace, technique and the ability to deliver pinpoint crosses, Maitland-Niles is an exciting prospect for the future. He perhaps requires an additional loan spell before he can be deemed ready to challenge for a place in the Arsenal squad, but so far the signs have been very encouraging indeed.
Toral’s impressive form, meanwhile, is of little surprise given his talent. The midfielder endured miserable luck with injuries in his first few years at the club following his switch from Barcelona, but he now appears to be over those problems and has been performing well in the Championship for the second season in succession following his spell with Brentford last season.
This season he has been a mainstay for Birmingham, and has scored four goals and provided three assists in his 19 league outings.
For all his achievements this season, however, the youngster will be fully aware that he is approaching a critical stage in his development in terms of whether he will succeed at Arsenal. His current contract with the club is set to expire at the end of the season, and a difficult decision will have to be made regarding whether the Spaniard should be retained.
Much could depend on Arsenal’s activity in this month’s transfer window. If, for example, the club was to buy another attack minded midfielder or wide player, then it could spell the end for Toral with the Gunners.
In contrast, if Arsenal don’t strengthen in those positions, then there could well be an opening for the youngster next season, particularly if Tomas Rosicky leaves the club.
For now, though, Maitland-Niles and Toral will be seeking to maintain their excellent form for the duration of the season.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Fine work after a heavy night!
Good read.
When will a striker or a centre half make the breakthrough..
It’s been forever
where’s certain mr elneny?
Waiting on a work permit apparently.
Window is not open yet…
With JRA making the bench regularly, it seems that he’s leapfrogged a few of the other prospects. It also suggests he is actually as good as we hoped.
Anybody else secretly pleased to see Afobe and Mannone doing well at the moment? Always nice to see the ex-players moving on and having a good career.
Of all the prospects we have had I am a big fan of Carlos vela. I miss his delicious chips. He had something eduardoesque about him. Glad to see him do well.
Totally. So skillful. Arsenal made him really. When we loaned him out he was the real deal.one of are more profitable signings!
I hope we retain Toral, it would be exciting to have him should Rosicky decided to go home to Prague.
Jack Wilshere should have worked very hard to regain his fitness, then.
I hope to see rosicky score goal of the season and brings us the tittle before he hangs his boots up and head back home.
Wenger out! Nearly 3pm on Jan 1st and no effing signings. It’s a disgrace
Pere Guardiola was at the club for several hours a couple of weeks ago. Apparently he is Torrals agent. .along with Bellerin and a certain Luis Suarez ….
Oh, and his brother Pep !
Intriguing….
Probably just discussing Jon Torral I suppose.?
Please can we get gnabry back. He’s a genuinely exiting player. I really don’t get why he’s not getting any games. Worried he might kind of just disappear
He’s a genuinely exiting player.
===
I fear you’re all too right.
I feel for Gnabry. So much hope when he broke into tow first team. Exciting, incicive.
Could be against the grain but I also had some hope in yaya sanogo. His collapse has been the most spectacular.
Issac Hyde?
I meant Isaac Hyden
I think he just need to buyba luck. Yaya Sanogo.
I mean buy.
I think we should keep Toral and convert him to a deep-lying Midfielder.
He has all the technical and passing attributes of Arteta and is a physical presence at 6’1. But mainly, I do feel Ramsey works better with a DLP like Arteta than he does with a more DM like Flamini and Coquelin. Without Santi, we don’t have that deep CM influence of controlling the game’s tempo like we do when either Arteta or Santi play.