Arsenal have announced that Benik Afobe is to go on loan to Sheffield Wednesday for the remainder of the season.
The young striker has recently returned from a lengthy injury absence, and the prospect of first team football, for a team looking to move away from the Championship relegation zone, made this an easy move to agree to.
He’ll join fellow Gunner, Damian Martinez at Hillsborough. The Argentine has been competing with Chris Kirkland for a place in the side, but has made 9 appearances for the Owls this season.
Meanwhile, via @Gunnerblog comes news that young centre-half Daniel Boateng is joining Hibs on loan. He posted this at 11.42am today:
Arsenal’s young centre-back Daniel Boateng is set to join Hibs on loan. #afc
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) January 30, 2014
Uncannily, a Sky Sports reporter posted this just 9 minutes later:
We are hearing that Arsenal’s Daniel Boateng is set to join Hibernian.
— Graeme Bailey (@GraemeBailey) January 30, 2014
If you have any idea where he might have got his info from, please let us know. We just can’t work it out.
There are expected to be other loan departures with interest in the likes of Ryo Miyaichi, Thomas Eisfeld and Emmanuel Frimpong, all of whom could do with playing regular football at this point in their careers.
Is there anyone left in the Academy?
Of course. Liam Brady is walking around with mannequins and cardboard cut outs of people like Michael Jordan, pulling on strings and having them move on model trains.
All Arsene can see is the silhouettes but he thinks Brady has them working hard on new tactical formations.
A mass clear out,you know what that means.Luis Suarez is on the way!
it’s the zombie apocalypse, biters everywhere
NOW WE HAVE EVEN FEWER STRIKERS!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!! AND WE DREW AT SOUTHAMPTON AND ARE NO LONGER TOP!!! THE SEASON IS OVER, WE WILL BE RELEGATED FOR SURE, WENGER OUT
(or something like that.)
I’m actually surprisingly relaxed about this window. Sure, I’d love to see some world class, top top super top signings. And another centre back. But I won’t melt down if they don’t arrive.
We now know a Sky Sports Trusted Source. Gunnerblog understands that Boateng is joining Hibs. The secret nexus has been revealed.
For most of these kids it’s ‘swim or sink time’. They just have to get it done outside to prove they are worthy of the cannon on their chests. Anyway, good luck to them and those on their way out. COYG.
Read on bbc a couple of minutes ago dat arsenal has agreed a deal to take vucinic on-loan… Wah’s up with d vucinic deal? I wont deny d fact dat i’m well excited by it.
Did you eat a game of scrabble, sick up the letters and throw them at the screen?
RIP, English language.
Thought we went out on loan ages ago. Shows what I know.
Think Afobe has been on loan enough, yet never been to a top championship club let alone a premier league side. Should be looking to get into the first team squad now, even if just for the cup, but seems wag below the standard required. Might be worth seeking a permanent deal in the summer.
SoqedHozi,
I’m not sure you appreciate how young he is and how bad his injuries have been.
IIRC at his age Wrighty was still playing sunday league footy.
As a ‘youth’ he’s shown real talent at scoring goals, although he does need to ‘kick on’ now to show this as a full pro. If he doesn’t he will have to move on in the next year or two.
“IIRC at his age Wrighty was still playing sunday league footy.”
When Wrighty was playing in the Sunday Leagues, the fitness level and drinking levels were around the same though, very easy to step up.
Afobe joins the ranks of JET, Simpson, Randell, Frimpong, and LANSbury, who we all thought better than they were at this point in their careers, because they played for The Arsenal.
Fitness and drinking has nothing to do with it. Some develop early, some late, some never make that step. Injuries have also played a big part. It’s possible his development is delayed because of them. We’ll know in the next 12-18 months. As for the others you mention, some jumped as they needed 1st team football and there wasn’t a space (maybe they’d have shown better by staying or maybe they just aren’t good enough), some had the wrong attitude (a problem with many british kids) and some just aren’t good enough. Without knowing all the details you and I… Read more »
No wonder our under 21s are under perfoming too many players on loan
-Afobe
-Martinez
-Silva,lipmann etc.
Afobe is coming in to Wednesday just as Wickham has been recalled by Sunderland after doing Too Well. He should get a fairly good chance to prove himself, probably going to be in the squad at the first opportunity against Barnsley.
Mack: I understand he’s only 20, but let’s not forget gnabry, chambo, Wilshere have all stepped up to premier league level before turning 20.
Some do. some don’t. some show early, some late, some never at all.