Arsenal announced their first academy departure of the January transfer window yesterday, with defender Josh Robinson securing a permanent move to Wigan Athletic.
It was perhaps a little surprising to see Robinson depart now rather than in the summer, but the 20-year-old appears ready to step up and test himself in senior football.
Robinson was named on the bench four times for the first-team in the Champions League this season and frequently trained with Mikel Arteta’s squad, while he was the main right-back for the U21s.
A hard-working player with a good engine, it is hoped that Robinson will be able to go on and have a successful career.
Robinson’s departure means that there will now be greater focus on Josh Nichols.
Nichols made his competitive senior debut for the first-team against Bolton in the Carabao Cup and has been named on the bench in the Premier League.
With Jurrien Timber suspended for the game against Brighton, Nichols may be called upon to at least train with the senior squad ahead of that fixture.
It is possible that Nichols, 18, could go out on loan for the first time this month if a suitable opportunity arises.
However, it will firstly have to be assessed whether Nichols will be needed to provide cover for the first-team in any capacity.
If Nichols is loaned out then it could provide an opportunity for first-year scholar Theo Julienne to get more opportunities at right-back for the U21s.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
It’s amazing how much luck plays a role in the opportunities that a young player might be given & therefore the impact that luck plays in the person’s career. I guess that’s probably true for anyone & any career. Bill Gates, for example, likely wouldn’t have ended up where he did except for the fact that the first person IBM wanted to create their operating system was out on a windsurfing trip. But football really makes the role of luck blindingly obvious.
I’m thinking about omari Hutchinson and how leaving for Chelsea was his pathway… would he have broken into this arsenal side? Or be anywhere near a premier League starter? So many sliding doors moments…
Hate to say it but he probably made the right move. He’s starting in the PL now, a pathway that probably wasn’t going to materialize for him with Arsenal given our track record in this regard compared to theirs. Chelsea is a deplorable club but their youth and loan development setup is top.
I would not be surprised if Nichols does go out on loan. With the lack of rb and he not being on the bench.
Depends on when Ben White and Tomi are back, both likely before the end of the transfer window.
Nichols gave a very tidy and encouraging performance in the Bolton game and seems to have the potential to carve out a senior career at Arsenal, maybe if we’d had the luck Liverpool enjoyed in drawing Accrington Stanley at home in the 3rd Round of the FACup he might have got some minutes, but Man United is going to be a tad too hard core, Premier League is another level altogether. At 18 time is on his side.