Arsenal have confirmed that Brooke Norton-Cuffy has joined Lincoln City on loan for the rest of the season.
The 18-year-old right-back, who signed his first pro contract at the Emirates last year, moves to the League One outfit for his first taste of senior football.
Having been part of the under-21 side that has progressed to the quarter-finals of the Papa John’s Trophy it’s a shame Brooke will miss the showdown with Wigan next Tuesday but hopefully, things go well for him at Sincil Bank.
Norton-Cuffy is expected to be one of a raft of academy kids who head out on loan before the end of the month.
We’re expecting each and every one of their departures to be greeted with huffs of disapproval from a few blockheads in the press who’ll no doubt moan that Arsenal is taking the piss when Mikel Arteta can barely put together a matchday squad.
That last paragraph is needlessly passive-agressive.
You need not “moan” about sending academy kids on loan or be a “blockhead” to be able to make the point that when, say, Roma can have a loan signing lined up for the first day of the window, Arsenal have failed to bring ANYONE in as of January 18.
The departures show that even teams with many fewer resources and presumably less affected by AFCON have done a better job of quickly strengthening their squad than we have.
Why loan when you can postpone?
I personally love that my WhatsApp messages are full of old friends bemoaning the loan of just about squad player Pablo Mari. It’s hilarious. They all read the back of the papers and are furious, told how to feel by journalists who create headlines like ‘Farcenal’.
Would they have cared 12 months ago, when we were 10th? I doubt it.
They are beginning to see what we see. Arsenal is back. And we are ready to be hated once more.
I guess I’m not plugged in to Arsenal WhatsApp to have experienced people freaking out over loans like this.
I just wonder why we’re always seemingly one of the last clubs to do any business.
It seems bizarre that every two-bit podcaster had been talking about our AFCON issues since the summer, yet we haven’t got anybody lined up and all the links seem agent-driven.
I’d be nice if this club were proactive, for a change.
Obviously we don’t know, but it sounds like the club have been working to sign Arthur (Juve want a replacement) and Vlahovic (player needs persuading). You can’t just snap fingers and have it done.
If you wanted to sign anyone I’m sure we could have pinched El Ghazi, but better to wait for our main targets even if it takes longer.
We could do that too, but then we’ll bring in players from that quality is that what you want? We’re after players clubs don’t need or want to lose or either for big money, we’re offloading players who’re not playing here. Big difference.
In other news, will Mr DT’s new cell mate be getting acquainted with his “tunnel area”?
Donald Trump’s been arrested?
You mean Ryan Giggs?
Suprised but also not. A real sign of quality, that he gets loaned at 18. U-23 got boring for him quickly. Makes it less crowded with Ryan and Zack too.
Hope he gets his butler along with him.