Next summer’s transfers: the most likely prospects « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger; coach of the decade
Arsenal on Twitter @UntoldArsenal
Untold Arsenal on Facebook here
A walk on the wild side; not football, just weird
There is an argument that I have had sometimes about whether players who step up from the reserves or who come back from a very long injury period are like “new transfers”.
Personally I do count these as new players – so to my mind apart from the official transfers in from other clubs we had last summer I would say that this season we have also transferred in…
- Wilshere
- Schezney
- Djourou.
All have been at the club for a while – and Djourou had of course started to make an impression before being out for a year with his injury. But no one quite knew how ready they would be this season – and I must admit that even though I have seen Jack play in the reserves and watched him in his loan spell last season I had no idea just how good he was, and how ready he was.
Actually there are some other players who could come into this list of “new” players – but I don’t want to push my luck – three will do.
Which raises the question, who will break through next season – or perhaps even before the end of this season? Who will appear as if they are new transfers?
The point is that while there will be the normal howls of demand for big money transfer, if this year is anything to go by, we’ll have three or maybe even four “new” players stepping up, before we even spend a single penny. Which apart from anything else, with the 25 rule entering its second year means we are going to watch how many players we take on (although of course the younger ones don’t count towards the total.
In terms of the injured there’s Frimpong and Ramsey. Who knows what state Frimpong will be in, and just how good he might be, but since I am only dealing in possibilities he’s on the list. Ramsey is currently playing with Cardiff and according to reports is doing a solid job, just as he did with Nottingham Forest, and is playing the whole 90 minutes.
As for the rest…
Carlos Vela is now on loan at WBA, and his fading away was a real disappointment for most of us. I really thought he was on the ball and ready to roll – especially with his early performances. I’d love to see him come back stronger and at full first team level next season.
Kyle Bartley has utterly amazed me. Did you ever imagine that an Arsenal reserve would go on loan to Rangers and slot straight into their first team. He’s actually playing defensive midfield there – so maybe he will be the backup to Song. I’d give him a fine chance of making it next season
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is so tantalisingly close, but isn’t quite there. I can’t believe that after all this build up he’s not going to make it, but there must be a chance. The impression I get from the Cardiff reports is that he is trying too hard to be clever rather than play his natural game.
Henri Lansbury scored against Tottenham in the league cup and scored last weekend for Norwich against Reading. Also playing for England under 21, in case you didn’t notice. His brief first team appearance at the end of last season was electric, in my view.
Craig Eastmond is one who I really thought was ready, but he’s not picked for every Millwall game in central midfield. Maybe, maybe not.
Vito Mannone: we all remember his heroics last season against Fulham, but the chopping and changing in the world of goalkeepers this season means I have no idea where he is placed in the hierarchy. He who was fourth is first, as a student of the bible might say.
Sanchez Watt playing against us didn’t look to me like a player about to make the breakthrough.
Benik Afobe couldn’t play for Huddersfield against us, which was a shame. I am sure this guy is going to make it but maybe there’s another year in waiting first.
Mark Randall is with Rotherham United and I guess his time at Arsenal’s level has gone.
Gavin Hoyte ditto – having done it with Brighton he’s now with Lincoln.
Ryo Miyaichi is the superstar Japanese player we signed this year who is now with Feyenoord and who scored on his debut. I have no idea what the work permit situation is, but this guy could be going somewhere special. But another year on loan first?
Gilles Sunu and Francis Coquelin are both in France, and I have always thought both could make it. Sunu is still a year away, but Coquelin could come in next season as a reserve full back if Traore leaves.
Armand Traoré is at Juventus – which is as bizarre as Bartley being at Rangers. But Armand seems to have been injury through most of the season.
Wellington Silva has gone to Levante after his work permit was turned down. I suspect that means two or three years in Spain getting the passport.
Pedro Botelho is playing in the Spanish second division – and as this is his third year in Spain I begin to wonder if it is leading somewhere or not.
Samuel Galindo joined us last summer – he’s a Bolivian who started playing for their national team aged 17. Working his time in Spain to get the permit to play here.
Ignasi Miquel has come up through the Reserves and has been on the bench several times this season. Could he be the other central defender that everyone is wanting? I suspect so.
That’s getting on for 20 players – and I set myself the task of finding three of them who will do what three young players have done this season for us – fit smoothly into the first team.
I am going for Aaron Ramsey as the obvious player to re-enter the team, but I am not counting him since he’ll come back this season. So instead…
- Ignasi Miquel as a central defender
- Kyle Bartley in central midfield
- Carlos Vela to regain his poise and scoring abilty
Outside chance Henri Lansbury as backup to Nasri.
For all the latest on young players try http://younggunsblog.co.uk/