Arsenal Loan Watch: Joel Campbell Starting to Shine, a Future Arsenal Great?

Joel Campbell is showing why Arsenal signed him last season after his latest goal for Costa Rica which came in the midweek game against Wales. His goal was the only one of the game in the Gary Speed Memorial as Costa Rica won the friendly match up, 1-0.

Campbell is currently on loan at French side FC Lorient after joining Arsenal from Deportivo Saprissa in 2011. He has found the back of the net three times in 17 appearances, most of them being a substitute of the bench.

Though performing well for Ligue 1 outfit Lorient, it was in a few appearances for the Costa Rican National team where he garnered some media attention.

Campbell made his debut in June 2011 against Cuba, finding the back of the net en route to a 5-0 victory. But it was his super strike against Spain that really put him on the map.

The striker found himself on the edge of the box shifting the ball to his left before curling it beautifully past Iker Casillas.

That goal put the Costa Ricans 2-0 up on the day and even though Spain fought back to gain a 2-2 draw, it was a fantastic result for Campbell and Costa Rica.

Fulham star Bryan Ruiz, who set up Campbell's goal for Costa Rica against Wales, has nothing but good things to say about his national team-mate: "You will see that he will get a chance in the next pre-season. So it is up to him.

"Joel is an exciting player. But in Arsenal they are very smart. They have 
placed him in a team to teach him, as he is young, so he does not have to go too fast.

"In Costa Rica we don't have many players playing here in the best leagues so he has to adapt to those things.

"He is a very good player, you can see that, and it is because of that Arsenal got him.

"You can see the way that he moves, he has qualities, and he played in the Costa Rica youth team. Arsenal knows that and he will get his chance."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also had positive things to say about the young striker, stating,  "He shows good talent,"

Short but sweet, but any positive words said by Wenger shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Wenger went on to say that consistency is the key if Campbell wants to compete at the top level "He lacks consistency and that is where he learns his job at the moment. To be a professional is a job and that's what he has to learn."

So what Arsenal fans will hope for now is that he goes on and keeps impressing on loan at Lorient and also for the Costa Rican national team.

When he comes back to Arsenal for pre-season he will look to impress and gain a work visa so then he can show what he is made of in the English Premier League.