Joel Campbell says he’s hoping to stay at Real Betis for many years even though he’s endured a torrid injury-hit campaign with the La Liga club.
It looked as though the Costa Rica international might start the season at Arsenal, however, after made a swift recovery from knee surgery he sealed a year-long loan deal with the Spanish club on transfer deadline day in August.
He initially missed Betis’ first few games as he finished up his rehab before making his debut for the club in October. After four consecutive games, another injury, this time to his ankle, sidelined him again. This time for four months. It was so bad that Betis even considered cutting short Campbell’s deal.
Having undergone extensive rehabilitation the 25-year-old, who’d previously played on loan at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in 2012/13, is now hoping he can get back in coach Quique Setien’s first team with a view to helping them consolidate their mid-table credentials.
“I’m fine, it’s the decision of the coach as to whether or not I’m included in the squad,” Campbell told Radio Marca Sevilla.
“I’m training with all my teammates and at the same level, so if Setien likes what he sees in training then maybe I will be in the squad.
“I have not played for a long time and I must go step by step, to keep working hard and not to become frustrated.
“My idea is to stay here for many years but those decisions are not mine, I have been lucky enough to enjoy lots of different clubs and leagues but I like it here.
“We want to remain as high as possible in the table and aim for a European spot – we are a great club who deserve to be at that level. We must keep working with the coach’s philosophy and aim to keep improving, but I believe we are on the right path.”
There’s very little to suggest that Campbell has a future as an Arsenal player. He’s out of contract in the summer and will likely leave on a free move. Fingers crossed he gets the game time he needs before the end of the season to secure a summer deal.
He got out!
While he could
“get out while you can Joel”
seems a long while since he was warned off by our fans. 🙂
Stay out while you can Joel.
Lol beat me to it
Looking forward to the article “Joel Campbell retires from professional football at age 36 – After playing for 18 different clubs in his illustrious career, Campbell found his feet at AEK Athens for the last three years of his career. Of course, still on loan from his parent club Arsenal, and contracted for another four seasons, Campbell will be deployed in the Arsenal canteen for the remainder of his tenure. Of course Arsenal have the option to extend that deal if they deem it fit to do so.”
Joel Campbell eulogy – It is with great sadness that we report the death of our much beloved Joel. After a brave fight against an aggressive condition at the age of 87, prognosis looked bleak and with regret and some prolonged negotiations, Arsenal agreed to terminate his contract just days before he passed. The Campbell family would like to explicitly thank Arsenal football club for the 70 years of employment and 20 appearances he made for the club. His squad numbers 28, 46, 31, 51, 65, 72, 22, 33 and 37 have all been retired as a mark of respect… Read more »
my eyes sting from the tears I just cried…thanks for that!
He’s one I’d like to see back – on the few occasions he did play he worked his socks off, tackled back, harried and chased………..looked like he wanted to play for the club. What a novelty………….
We don’t like dem lot up here in North London.
All that running around and pressing business, not for us mate.
Give me a Mustafi or Xhaka any day of the week.
Who can blame him. Did quite well two years back but clearly a reluctant pick for Wenger which makes it baffling why he never cashed in on him. For the sake of 1-2m we now lose him on a free
He got out while he could!
Still think he could have done a job for us in the same vein as Moses at Chelsea. Perhaps not at wing back but I think they’re very similar players, if anything campbell is technically superior. Anyway clearly that ship has sailed.
How Welback is picked instead of him is beyond me.
Homegrown
I thought he was under contract until 2019? I know transfermarket says 2018, but I recall them being a season off for Ramsey & Debuchy last year.
If his contract is up and goes for free, I’m assuming his loan fees will have totalled up to a chunk of the £12m being touted around for him a couple years ago.
Good luck to the lad, World Cup should be a good shop window for him.
Decent player… just not in the Wenger mould.
Can’t help but feel he could have flourished under a different coach.
I think a lot of our players would flourish under a different coach.
He’s been playing under a different coach. All these years on loan.
Could’ve played as a wingback similar to the Ox last season. If nothing else then at least to reduce the pressure on Bellerin
Lots of selective memories about Joel Campbell. Some quite humorous. It really does show we can all watch the same exact thing and come away with something different – like how 3 judges can all watch the same boxing match and produce 3 different scores …. OR …. maybe never watched at all and are drawing conclusions based on broken hearts and current hate towards the club and its’ keepers? Seems to be hate for the regime by the truck full, these days. Always tracked backed? Always worked hard? Really? Always? There was a reason his ass had a groove… Read more »
Not that he was ever that great, but I don’t ever recall any incident of poor attitude.
Care to name one?
Joel never had a bad attitude and always worked hard when he played for us. Either you don’t know who he is or you never watched him. You seem to be the one with the bad attitude.
Someone would rather live in Spain than England. This is news.
Good luck Joel. If all else fails you could help Arsenal consolidate their mid-table credentials.
Shame we didn’t cash in after that decent World Cup he had. Ahhhh hindsight.
Get out while you still can, Joel!
He’ll make a decent career for himself. He’s a very good, but not spectacular, player and has a good work rate. I can only wish him well.
Nice support. Maybe all the people here should take their own advice and get out while you can. I hear there’s a sale on Man City kits somewhere…
Ah yes, the proverbial “fake fans, go support another team” junk.
Surprised you didn’t finish it with “FFS, get behind the team. It’s your fault they’re playing badly.” I like that one.
Is it necessary that all the fringe players should leave the club for free?
Where will this club get the money to buy the players it needs?
I like Joel and I hope he can put his injuries behind him and get a permanent deal where he can succeed and be happy. He always tried when he played for us, and was better than some of Arsenes favourites who kept him out of the team. I feel that he’s a player who didn’t get the credit he deserved, and the manager just didn’t like him.
The story of Joel Campbell really signifies how the mighty has fallen in terms of Arsene Wenger, back when wenger was in his prime he would of utilised a player like Joel who is a dependable performer maybe not a all out star but someone who you can rely on to he consistently solid. Sylvan Wilford comes to mind as a comparable player to Joel someone who was not a star and wouldn’t of started if everyone was fit but arsene saw the benefit of having a solid consistent performer and Wilford did great for us. Back then arsene didn’t… Read more »
And who could blame him. Come back and join the ship just before it goes down!