Arsenal have recalled Miguel Azeez from his season-long loan deal with Portsmouth.
The 19-year-old was sent to Fratton Park with a view to gaining more first team experience but hasn’t really had the game time that was expected.
Despite playing just once in League One up to November, head coach Danny Cowley stressed that the Gunners still trusted him with the development of the highly-rated midfielder.
Azeez went on to feature in five league and two FA Cup games in the space of five weeks but loan manager Ben Knapper and Per Mertesacker have seemingly decided that’s not enough.
Speaking about the midfielder’s departure, the Portsmouth boss said, “I believe this has been a fantastic stepping stone in Miguel’s journey – moving into a senior environment and playing League One football.
“I have absolutely no doubt that he’ll go on to become a top player and this will have been an important part of his development.
“He leaves here a better player and hopefully a better person. We’ve been impressed with his focus and commitment to improve.
“There are some areas of his game that are beyond this level and other areas that he needs to keep working at, as with any young player.
“I’m as excited as everyone else to see how he progresses and we wish him nothing but success moving forward.”
Despite Mikel Arteta’s current shortage of midfield options, we’re not expecting the academy graduate to be involved with the first team. We suspect another loan deal will be arranged in due course.
Makes sense. It‘s bitter when you lose time anyway but if you‘re loaned out and still don‘t play, it must be hugely frustrating.
Given his high reputation in the academy (I’ve heard one friend who is an Arsenal fan say that he was regarded as high as Saka), I was expecting him to have a successful time at Portsmouth.
Let’s hope he’s learnt a lot and can step up into our team sooner than later.
Hmmm… if Danny Cowley thinks he’ll be a top player why didn’t he play him. Weird. Hope he gets more chances somewhere else and asap too.
He was just being polite and professional, no need to destroy bridges over this issue when those bridges will be likely needed in future to get other deals done…
Yeah probably, but not playing him won’t have exactly built bridges.
Charlton are currently negotiating to bring him in on loan.
Reminiscing on Song and Coquelin.
I predict he’ll just move to another League One club. Maybe Charlton; mid-table, and I think we’ve loaned a couple players to them in recent seasons.
It’s an interesting idea having a youth player loaned out to one club from August to December and then a loan to a different club from January to May.
It prevents the player from becoming too comfortable in their surroundings, and the added benefits of experiencing life, training, tactics at two different clubs in the same season.
In life it’s always best to have multiple different experiences to gain insight on one’s strengths and areas for improvement.
Good praise from Dan Crowley. Azeez’ performances at Portsmouth were limited and seemed ineffective for the most part, but for a player his age his game could have still progressed and the loan could still have been fruitful. Azeez and Balogun are both at that same level of development. They are tweeners: too good for academy football but not exposed to enough men’s football to know where their talents will land them vv potential careers at the club. Hope by start of next season, they are both ready to compete for first team football at Arsenal.
John Jules had a really productive loan at Lincoln City under Cowley but this season it has been a frustrating time for TJJ at Blackpool. Last season Ballard was outstanding at Blackpool, it’s not an exact science. Bellerin had a terrible time at Watford, the following season he was a star in our defence. Azeez will be fine, he’ll have learnt a lot and hopefully put that to good use at his next loan and next season at Arsenal.
Ballard has been outstanding at Millwall this season as well, just a shame he got an injury.
Danny Crowley seems a nice fellow.
Though he had some nice words for Azeez it wasn’t quite the praise he heaped on ESR at Huddersfield.
Portsmouth were trying to change him instead of accepting him Az-e-ez.
Like a new signing!
Pointless sending out players on loan if they aren’t going to get game time.