What Should Arsenal Do with Costa Rica Forward Joel Campbell?
Although most of the discussion among Arsenal fans during this transfer window inevitably focuses on who Arsene Wenger might bring in, he also faces important decisions about some of the players already on his books. After four loan spells in as many years, itโs time for the Gunners boss to make up his mind about Joel Campbell.
After an impressive World Cup 2014 campaign with Costa Rica, Campbell was recalled to London last summer to join up with the first-team squad. However, after failing to find the net in his first 10 competitive outings for the Gunners, he was sent out on loan in January to Villarreal. Incredibly, his four Premier League appearances didnโt even yield a shot at goal.
The truth is that he didnโt fare much better in Spain. Although he made 16 appearances in La Liga, he only managed one goal in the course of 2014/15.
That disappointing showing hasnโt prevented another La Liga club from declaring an interest in taking Campbell permanently. According to Simon Jones of the Mail on Sunday, David Moyes is looking to make up for the failure to sign Danny Ings by luring the Costa Rican to Real Sociedad:
"David Moyes has launched a bid to sign Arsenal striker Joel Campbell.
The Real Sociedad boss tried to sign the Costa Rican last summer but he moved to Villarreal on loan as part of the ยฃ11million deal that saw their defender Gabriel Paulista go in the opposite direction.
This time Moyes is proposing a ยฃ6million bid to take the 22-year-old Campbell on a permanent deal.
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Wenger must now weigh whether or not Campbell should form part of the Arsenal squad for 2015/16.
When he moved to Villarreal, he signed a new contract with his parent club. This had two potential benefits for the Gunners: Firstly, it ensured they would be in a position to recall Campbell if he proved a success. However, perhaps more pertinently, it also guaranteed they would receive a decent fee for the forward in the event of deciding to let him go.
At present, that seems the obvious choice. Campbellโs more frequent role at club level has been as a wide forward, and Arsenal are particularly well stocked in that position. If he were to return to London this summer, Campbell would find himself behind the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck in the queue for a first-team place. Even the likes of Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey have been used on the right of late, suggesting Campbell would find it almost impossible to earn a regular role in the side.
Heโs 23 now and can no longer afford to bide his time on the bench. Campbell would be better served by joining a club where heโd be part of the first XI, and Arsenal could subsequently reinvest any fee in other areas of the squad.
After several years in limbo, another loan move isnโt the optimum solution. Itโs time for Campbell and Arsenal to part waysโpermanently.
Jamesย McNicholasย is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2015-16 season. Follow him on Twitterย here.
