Many Arsenal fans are waking up to hear the news that broke last night of Arsenal’s supposed deal to sign promising right back Callum Chambers from Southampton. For one the deal materialised out of nowhere, one of the more reputable news sites BBC Football even claim a medical has been completed on Friday.
Now Chamber’s is a player that has long been known to be admired by Arsene Wenger and has been linked over the past couple seasons, the fact that the manager made a move for the player is not one of great surprise. It is when you take into account a number of other factors that leaves you scratching your head slightly.
Bacary Sagna was a great loss to the team when he decided to up sticks and earn money bought medals at Manchester City but the manager appeared to counter the loss with the acquisition of Mathieu Debuchy. An experienced French international right back who was 1st choice for country ahead of Sagna and also Premiership ready due to his time at Newcastle.
Carl Jenkinson who has become a bit of a fan favourite due to his die hard love of Arsenal proved himself at right back during his only real run in the side a couple years back when Sagna was recovering from a broken leg.
That stint in the team proved he could eventually succeed in the right back slot, ever since that run he has been in and out the side only covering when Sagna was injured or less important games came around. That restricted his development slightly as with most players being thrown in here and there can hinder form.
The manager claimed when he signed Debuchy it would be a straight duel for the right back slot which made a lot of sense at the time. On the opposite flank Keiran Gibbs has certainly risen to the challenge of Arsenal’s purchase of Nacho Monreal.
Debuchy and Jenkinson would contest the position whilst promising young right back Hector Bellarin would continue his development with the potential to break into the team this coming season and/or secure a loan to a premiership or Championship level team.
Now with the news of Chambers coming in throws a curveball into those plans, he won’t be cheap with a reported price of £16m being mentioned. So with that price you have to assume he will be instantly challenging for a place. Only Arsene knows his true intentions if the deal does get completed.
One possible plan from the manger could be plans to convert one of his players to a centre back. Out of the current personnel only Jenkinson seems to contain attributes to shift to the middle. Bellarin is too slight and still learning his trade at right back (not forgetting he has already made the change from winger to fullback). Many have muted that Chambers is also a player that could play there and is behind Arsene’s pursuit. Debuchy I cannot see making the shift so it’s either a position change for Jenkinson or Chambers in the offing.
The other option is the guillotine coming down on the Arsenal careers of Jenkinson or Bellarin with permanent or loan moves or could Chambers be loaned back to Southampton? Was it a knee jerk reaction to secure a long term target’s services because other teams came sniffing about? So many questions are raised from this news and only one man knows the method behind the madness.
Arsene knows.
It could possibly be a position change for Jenkinson or Chambers is being brought in to be third choice CB and understudy to BFG and Kos, with TV on his way out? I hope we don’t lose Jenkinson as I do feel he can be a good player for us in the long term.
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I feel Jenkinson at least deserves a chance but at the moment all I’m doing is speculating that the door is closed on Jenks. That might not be the case
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All will be revealed. Nothing like a bit of mystery to keep the transfer window buzzing – it’s been good fun so far…
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Totally agree. Deals materialising under everyone’s noses. Makes you wonder who else is being readied
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I hope Jenkinson goes out on loan to a team where he will get 1st team football for a year at a good EPL level – maybe even Southampton. He has 2 major flaws in his game that need rectifying before he can be Arsenal’s No. 1. Firstly he cannot head the ball at EPL standard as noticed on a number of occasions last season, once calamitously leading to an opposition goal. 2nd he is very suspect with the ball doing anything other than bombing down the wing. He possesses no ability to pass in the triangle patterns “Arsenal style” and so the give and go is never an option for him. Doing a Sqwarker Stat comparison with him Debuchy and Chambers is quite revealing and in all the major defensive stats he was the weakest. Should Arsenal be successful with recruiting Schneiderlin perhaps we could see Coqueilin and Jenko go the other way on loan. That would free up their cash for some new purchases and give them a couple of decent players to plug their holes. They play a good brand of football and I think Jenks could well benefit from that and return in a couple of years when Debuchy is 31.
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I suppose it all depends in Jenkinsons patience. At 22 ( I think that’s his age) he should really be knocking on the door now, he has flirted with England squad and yes 1st team football elsewhere would benefit him but with most loanees they dont like to return to competition after a season as a 1st choice.
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True – guess that’s up to Jenks…..if he just wants EPL – go to West Ham they supposedly are interested, if his aim is higher he needs to do some work.
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Only One Man Knows Method Behind Madness Of Chambers Pursuit. | Gambeano Snitch AFC | victorkipkoech's Blog
Let’s not kid ourselves. Wenger obviously has followed him for years and sees him as better long term player than jenko. Jenko I love him as for passion for arsenal but he just does not cut it at highest level
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