Arsenal Loan Watch: Joel Campbell Shows Vast Potential on Ligue 1's Final Day

His team didn't get the result they would've hoped for—Lorient entered Sunday just one point ahead of the Ligue 1 drop zone, and after losing 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain at the Stade Moustoir, their future was made to look even more perilous—but Joel Campbell, on loan in Brittany since the start of the season, enjoyed quite a very impressive performance in his final showing for Christian Gourcuff's side.

Operating as a forward for Les Merlus, Campbell was at his most menacing in the first half, hovering about the attacking third and displaying the type of technical astuteness and predatory instincts that first attracted Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to the 19-year-old Costa Rican last summer.

Campbell headed out on loan after he was unable to secure a work permit for the 2012-13 season, but it didn't take long for him to win over Gourcuff.

The Lorient manager described Campbell as "very promising," and while he acquiesced that it was unlikely to happen, he voiced his hope that Campbell might make a permanent transfer to the club.

That promise was on show all season, during which Campbell made 26 league appearances for Lorient, scoring three goals.

While it wasn't the most incredible strike rate, the goals themselves were often of the highest quality. It was a wonderful glimpse at the luminous potential he offers.

On Sunday against PSG, we saw it in full force. Campbell drew a free kick on the edge of the Parisian penalty area after a wonderful turn away from central defender Alex left the Brazilian defender no choice but to hack him down. It was the deftest of flicks that undid Alex, a true glimpse at Campbell's innate spontaneity—a priceless commodity for a striker.

Campbell presided over the free kick and unleashed a venomous curling effort that whistled just wide of Salvatore Sirigu's goal, who would have been helpless to stop it had it been on target.

As has been the case all season, Campbell showed a maddening tendency to drift in and out of the proceedings, but those bursts of brilliance were still on display. He was easily one of the most influential players on the pitch, a testament to his considerable skill.

He will be returning to Arsenal this summer, and one would think that the work permit issue will have been put to bed ahead of next season.

While his youth and inexperience at the European level will likely see him resigned to a small role for the Gunners in 2012-13 as they make a run at silverware (experience will likely be preferred for that type of campaign), Campbell should see time during the early rounds of the Carling and FA Cups.

Wenger is known for playing youth in the matches that fall in September and October; expect to see Campbell manning a forward position for Wenger's sides in those games.

There has been a well-tried script used by Wenger when it comes to youth. He often plays them during the first half of seasons in smaller games before sending them out on loan to English teams in the lower divisions for the rest of the campaign.

Campbell may well expect to become the latest player to be sent out on that kind of spell. He needs experience playing the English game, and he should get it next season.

His future is undeniable, and he will be a fun prospect to track in the coming years.