Question Marks Remain over Joel Campbell's Long-Term Future at Arsenal

In the FA Cup tie with Hull City, Costa Rica international Joel Campbell was handed a rare opportunity to impress. An energetic performance is likely to have ensured he will remain at the club beyond the expiry of the January transfer window. However, that doesn't guarantee he will remain at Arsenal in the longer term: Question marks remain over his ability to establish himself at the Emirates Stadium.

On first look, it appears as if Campbell stands to be the major beneficiary of Lukas Podolski's loan move to Inter Milan (which, according to Matt Morlidge of the Daily Mail, is on the verge of completion).

Both men are left-footed forwards who are more suitable to playing in wide roles than through the middle. Both, too, have been predominantly confined to the substitutes bench this season. With Podolski gone, Campbell ought to be granted more chances.

So it proved against Hull. Campbell started on the left-hand side, but showcased some of the attributes that seemingly make him a better fit for Arsenal than the cannon-booted German. He has real pace, and a fluidity of movement that allows him to interchange positions effectively with the likes of Alexis Sanchez.

What’s more, he showed a willingness to track back when required, making several challenges deep within Arsenal territory. An unwillingness or inability to do the same dogged defensive work is one of the key reasons Podolski fell out of favour.

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However, he does not share the former Bayern man's ruthless ability to finish. Campbell was the recipient of two presentable opportunities and spurned them both. He may blame rustiness, but a pattern is beginning to emerge: He also missed several gilt-edged chances in the Champions League game at Galatasaray.

One can’t escape the sense that Campbell's abilities are sometimes exaggerated by his supporters. Beyond brief glimpses of talent in the Greek league and at the World Cup, there is little to suggest he's a player of elite ability.

Campbell's popularity among the Arsenal fans is at least in part due to their disillusionment with Arsene Wenger. Last season, fans were understandably baffled by the decision to blood Yaya Sanogo while sending Campbell out on his umpteenth loan. The subsequent decision to confine Campbell to the bench has become a stick to beat Wenger with.

However, that shouldn't be allowed to detract from rigorous analysis of Campbell's potential. Is there really a scenario in which Campbell goes on to establish himself as a regular first-team player at Arsenal? It's difficult to foresee.

At present, the likes of Alexis, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all ahead of him in the queue for a first-team place. It's unlikely that Campbell will manage to supersede that selection of star talent.

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The Costa Rica international will then face a decision: Is he prepared to spend the prime period of his career as a mere squad player? Arsenal are a wonderful club, but Campbell’s development is likely to be stunted by a lack of playing time. He must decide where his priorities lie. As a regular international, it’s difficult to see him being content with such a reduced role at club level.

With Podolski set for Inter, and Wenger openly touting Yaya Sanogo as a loan option (per Arseblog News) for Premier League clubs, Campbell would initially appear to be a winner of this January transfer window. However, the reality is that Sanogo will get more playing time on loan than Campbell will at Arsenal. There is a risk that he will merely fade back in to obscurity, a squad option only called upon for a cup run that could end at any point.

Come the summer, it seems likely that Campbell’s future will be very much in doubt.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.