By this time last season, Mikel Arteta, Edu Gaspar and the Arsenal transfer negotiation team made some deals with Jorginho leaving Chelsea to join Arsenal, and Albert Sambi Lokonga leaving the club for Crystal Palace. Jorginho went on to provide some depth for the club in Thomas Partey’s continued absence and while Lokonga enjoyed a good start in Selhurst Park under Patrick Vieira, he found himself on the trenches when Wily Ol’ Roy Hodgson took over.
One year later, Arsenal have endured a relatively quiet winter transfer window on the first team front, but the club was very active shipping out loads of youngsters on loan and on some permanent deals. Here’s a quick overview of the young Gunners shipped out.
LOAN DEALS OUT
Charles Sagoe Jr. is the highest profile youngster that was shipped on loan this window, joining Swansea City in the Championship, which will give him the opportunity to play alongside Charlie Patino in the Welsh-based outfit. Sagoe Jr. featured in the EFL Cup game against Brentford and showed some promise, and he is looking forward to the chance to strut his stuff at a second-tier competitive side.
Khayon Edwards moves to League One side, Leyton Orient, on loan with a view of showcasing his talents for a permanent move elsewhere, with his Arsenal contract expiring this summer, and it’s unlikely to be renewed. Zane Moniouis, another player with an expiring contract this summer, has been shipped to Reading, and will be hopeful to play well enough to get his services retained at either Reading or some other club in the division.
Omar Rekik left the club on loan last summer to Wigan Athletic and played 14 games for the club, but it has been reported that he has joined Swiss Super League club, Servette FC, so it’s either he was recalled from Wigan by Arsenal, or it was a six month loan.
PERMAMENT DEALS OUT
In typical Arsenal fashion, Runar Alex Runarsson was loaned to Cardiff City last summer, played only seven games, was recalled from the Welsh club, had his contract rescinded, allowing him to return to his native Scandinavia, with FC Copenhagen signing the Icelandic goalie on a free transfer.
Lino Sousa is a highly-rated left back that was touted for great things, traveling with the squad for the preseason squad that toured to the United States, and was even mentioned as a stop-gap measure when Oleksandr Zinchenko suffered a calf injury last month. Sousa moved to Aston Villa on a permanent basis and was immediately shipped to Plymouth Argyle on loan.
Bradley Ibrahim played regularly for the Under-21s, and was sold to Hertha Berlin in Germany’s Second Division. One of the biggest sales, however, was seeing youth prospect, Miguel Azeez, moved to Atletico Baleares. After a couple of loan moves to Portsmouth, Ibiza and Wigan Athletic, Azeez finds himself at a Spanish second division side and he will feel at home, bearing in mind that he has a Spanish mother.
Arsenal’s youth correspondent, Jeorge Bird, has given an overview of the current Under-21 squad, following these departures and its worth a read. Arseblog also dropped his two cents on Miguel Azeez’s departure, labelling the post – from a bright young thing to a semi pro.
I wish these lads all the best, and it’s highly unlikely that they would break into the Arsenal first team anytime soon.
Sayonara.
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