Arsenal’s deserved reputation as a conveyor belt for outstanding young talent is well deserved, however the Gunners could well pay the price for the success of their youth program, by losing a couple of their key young players 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.
With certain youngsters ready for a first grade role Arsene Wenger has landed himself in a difficult situation. With a lot of talented midfielders to choose from including Diaby, Diarra, Rosicky, Narsi and Fabregas, Arshavin also needs a mention because he can play any role in the midfield, 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, had Wilshere or Merida been strikers of equivalent ability then they would no doubt have been given a chance in the first team, 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 seeing as manager Owen Coyle is about to move to the Bolton Wanderers, it seems unlikely however that and deal will take place until the managerial problems are fixed. WIlshere has stated that a loan to another Premier League side would be his preferred option. 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, and with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger stating that Wilshere needs first grade soccer experience the move to a West Ham soccer jersey may just 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. Arsenal’s first side however has been to hard for Fran Merida to crack despite his obvious 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..
Arsenal may have a strong midfield, however one must wonder how Gunners fans feel to see players that have been so carefully nurtured through the youth system, leave the club to further their careers elsewhere, although only temporarily in the case of Wilshere, because there is to much competition in the squad for a young player to have a proper go.
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