Arsenal have confirmed that young midfielder Mauro Bandeira has joined Colchester United on a season-long loan.
The 19-year-old is the second academy star to seal a temporary switch after Catalin Cirjin joined Rapid Bucharest last month.
In his first interview with his new club, Mauro said: “It’s a good step for me in my young career, stepping into this sort of challenge is something I’ve wanted since I started playing football. Getting the chance to do so at a club like Colchester is a really good feeling.”
A host of other youngsters are expected to follow suit with our resident academy expert Jeorge Bird pinpointing Taylor Foran, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Zane Monlouis and Jack Henry-Francis as the most likely candidates.
🌟 Young gun. @MauroBandeira8 | #ColU | #WeAreUnited pic.twitter.com/4XT2QHobOM
— Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) July 18, 2023
Decisions also need to be made about a host of other youngsters who returned to the club after a year away.
The likes of Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Coventry), Omar Rekik (Sparta Rotterdam / Wigan), Miguel Azeez (Ibiza / Wigan), Mika Biereth (RKC Waalwijk), Tyreece John-Jules (Ipswich) and Charlie Patino (Blackpool) appear no nearer to the first team at this point and could be sold.
It’s already been reported that the club will allow Patino to leave permanently (should a suitable offer be made) so that he can further his career elsewhere.
It’s obvious not all of these talented youngsters can make it at the Arsenal – you gain some and you lose some: show goes on.
You are right, it is always a gamble. There are countless examples in the past. This said, through stats and other metrics, clubs have a greater idea of a players potential.
The real question surrounding the players we are moving on is- have we done enough to prepare them for their lives beyond arsenal?
Brooke Norton-Cuffy had a very progressive time at Coventry in the second half of season. Feels like he’ll be kept and sent out to another competitive championship team for this year.
Surely he’d get more experience and a higher level of opponent of he went to a premier league club like Everton or palace.