Arsenal midfielder Jon Toral looks to have played his last game for Birmingham City after being ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.
The 21-year-old, signed from Barcelona at the same time as Hector Bellerin in 2011, has enjoyed a productive campaign on loan at St. Andrew’s scoring eight goals in 38 appearances.
Reflecting on Toral’s injury, picked up in training this week just days after he was sent off in stoppage time against Preston, Gary Rowlett said: “Jon’s probably going to miss the rest of the season – but again we are not ruling him out of the Cardiff game.
“At that point you can argue is there any point playing someone who has had a hamstring injury and risk tearing it again for one last game?
It remains to be seen whether Toral will return to London Colney for treatment. The Spaniard, who last summer featured in a couple of Arsenal’s pre-season games, hasn’t had much luck with injuries since moving to England.
After four knee operations between the ages of 16 and 18, the midfielder admits he thought he may have to quit the game. He’s made steady progress since making a full recovery and will be hoping for another chance to impress the Gunners coaching staff before a decision is made on where he’ll play football next season.
I guess this rules out the theory that he was killed by Negan.
It was obvious who was killed by Negan: the cameraman.
Let it go!
Frozen fan, eh?
chapeau, sir. chapeau 😉
“four knee operations between the ages of 16 and 18”
Well, he definitely has Arsenal, not Barca, DNA.
LANS
LANI
I was waiting for this. I heard yesterday from a contact at Birmingham just yesterday that he was done for the season. The Cardiff game is hopeful wish, I was told. He’s done. He’s probably been our most successful loanee this season, and I want him back in the squad, I think he can compete against Ramsey. He also has experience as being a DM for Barca (his original position), and I think he’s the perfect candidate to replace Arteta in the squad for the DLP role (also has the size at 6’1 and experience of the hustle and bustle… Read more »
He can compete against ramsey, he can be understudy for Santi’s role and Arteta, for the few i’ve seen of him, he look good and i think if given the chance to improve and learn from the 2 i mentioned earlier, he can come good. We still need signings in that area, as well as defense and striker, but i’d be more than happy to see this guy do well with us
If Arsenal had not effed up this season, Toral would have made the squad for next season. I don’t think Wenger will care for the abuse from the terraces, but there will be pressure to not find an internal solution. The few games I have watched him play, on TV though, he seemed very composed on the ball and had a good pass in him. But I don’t know if that was the Scott Parker effect (everyone is so shit, an average player looks excellent) or he is genuinely that good. Maybe that’s why I don’t scout for a living.
Clearly we need to rebuild the midfield this summer. I think Rosicky, and Arteta need to be replaced with some outside quality, but I think this guy can be a great internal solution to Flamini place in the squad. Keep him around and let him fight for a spot. Still has to be a massively better option than the clusterfuck that was trying to piece together a working midfield since November.
I hear cogs whirring all over the world as Arsenal fans try to work out a way to blame Wenger for this….
Meaning he shouldn’t take the blame for anything else? Then again he is only the Manager.
Wenger August 28th 2016: We did not buy and do not plan to buy any players because we got Toral coming in to the midfield, we got Iwobi now as a starting player on the wing, Martinez is more than capable of filling the backup keeper role after Ospina left to play more regularly elsewhere and Akpom is the new Henry as far as im concerned. Why would we need to sign anyone with such quality internal solutions? On more joyus news because of these internal solutions, All the money freed up from the release of and earned through the… Read more »
Shame to be honest. Hopefully he can get a decent cup run with us next season. He might be worth a try as a squad player since Arteta, Flamini and Rosicky will more than likely leave. I can’t see Wenger signing 3 new midfielders…
Just in time!
This was a very Metro-like misleading headline Mr Blog! Although you missed the words class or brilliant. ‘class Midfielder set for Arsenal return’ would have earned you 1billion more clicks and lots of monies!
I do like how Birmingham have taken the safety approach of not risking him for one game. Very kind of them even though they’d be within their right to. They’ve been good to us over the years with loanees.
Hi I’m a Blues fan and we’d love to sign him permanently but due to our financial situation there’s no chance. It was stated at the beginning of season his contract with Arsenal expired this summer but I don’t know how true that is.
Since eduardo eh