Arsenal’s ability to find and nuture young talent is well known, although the success of their youth program may prove detrimental by the loss some of their stars in the January transfer window.
The truth of the matter is that for youngsters like Fran Merida and Jack Wilshere, the limited first team opportunities afforded to them, this is mainly due to the fact that Arsenal’s midfielders are some of the best in the world which has only allowed them to appear in some unimportant Champions League games of the Carling Cup.
The problem facing Arsene Wenger is that players like Wilshere and Merida are now ready for a more prominent first team role at the club. With a number of stars all vying for a place in the midfield including Diarra, Diaby, Narsi, Rosicky, Fabregas, and players who can also play in the midfield if needed to like Arshavin, there are very limited spots within the midfield for up and coming youngsters to step into the first division.
The irony is, of course, that at the moment, Arsenal don’t have and youngster to trial as strikers which they desperately need at the moment, because of injuries to Robin Van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner, Arsenals lead strikers.
It seems likely that Wilshere will be taking a loan move away from Arsenal in the near future. Burnley were reportedly keen on taking the young midfielder to Turf Moor, but given that manager Owen Coyle is on the verge of quitting the club to move to Bolton Wanderers, it seems unlikely that the Clarets will take their interest any further while their managerial situation remains unresolved. Wilshere himself has stated that he would prefer a loan move to another Premier League side. Rumours today have surfaced that Wilshere is championing a loan move to the club he supported as a boy, West Ham, for the rest of the season. Arsene Wenger stated that Wilshere needs to play more first grade games for experience so the transfer seems likely to take place.
The situation surrounding Fran Merida is more complicated. The young star was signed by Arsenal from Barcelona as a youngster, much in the same way that Cesc Fabregas joined the club, and the youngster has drawn many comparisons with his Spanish counterpart. However unlike Fabregas, Merida has been unable to break into the Arsenal side despite his undoubted talent with his contract due to expire in June this year, and his unwillingness to resign with the club Merida has opted to move back home to Spain and, like Wilshere, will transfer to the club he followed as a boy; Atletico Madrid, however this move will be a permanent one, he will most likely never wear the Arsenal home jersey again..
While Arsenal are well off for midfield talent, one must wonder how Gunners fans feel to see players that have been so carefully nurtured through the youth system, leave Arsenal in search of more accommodating teams, albeit temporarily in Wilshere’s case, only because there is no room for them in the first grade squad.
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