Why Joel Campbell Has to Leave Arsenal to Fulfil His Potential
This could be a pivotal summer in the career of Joel Campbell. The Costa Rica international has had a nomadic career thus far, having represented seven different clubs by the tender age of 23.
Before the start of next season, he must find a more permanent home. If he is to fulfil his potential, Campbell needs some stability.
His Arsenal story has always been a somewhat strange one. The infamous tale of how the Gunners came to acquire the striker has entered Gunners folklore, with transfer chief Dick Law flying to Costa Rica to engage in protracted transfer negotiations for a then-unknown teenager at a time when the first team was crying out for seasoned recruits.
Perhaps the extraordinary lengths Arsenal went to in their bid to sign Campbell have played some part in their desire to keep him around the club.
Consternation at the effort to recruit Campbell was compounded when it emerged he would not qualify for a work permit. That led to three seasons out on loan, with Lorient, Real Betis and Olympiakos, respectively. Campbell improved year on year, ending with a productive spell in Greece, the highlight of which was a long-range strike against Manchester United in the Champions League.
That moment brought him to the attention of all Arsenal fans, but it was his performances at the World Cup in 2014 that made the rest of the football-watching public sit up and take notice. Campbell scored an emphatic equaliser in Costa Rica’s opening game, which they would go on to win 3-1, and he played a key part in their surprise run to the competition’s quarter-finals.
As the lone striker in a team often under enormous pressure, the physical demands on Campbell were huge. However, he still managed to demonstrate moments of skill and imagination to excite the Arsenal fans.
One such admirer was legendary Gunners striker Ian Wright. Speaking on ITV (h/t HITC), he said:
"He's a typical Arsenal player, he picks the ball up in the final third a lot, has a very clean shot and great technical ability.
He's got the vision, and can play a fantastic pass. He has the confidence to take defenders on two-on-one.
It will be very interesting to see what happens when he comes back to Arsenal.
"
Wright’s excitement was understandable. However, there was also a word of warning from fellow pundit Gordon Strachan: "He has good things [about his game] but I don't know if he can see people when he is running with the ball. The Arsenal way is if you are running he needs to see people. That might be what lets him down at Arsenal."
How portentous those words proved to be. For all his individual ability, Campbell never seemed capable of adapting to Arsenal’s collective game.
Although Wenger recalled him to London after the World Cup finished and his work permit came through, his path to the first team always seemed congested. Campbell’s best position appears to be as a wide forward, but that’s an area where Arsenal are exceptionally well-stocked. Campbell has potential, but that was never going to be enough to earn him a regular start ahead of the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott.
That seemed to prove irritating to Campbell’s long-time agent, Joaquim Batica, who went public with his grievances within a few weeks of the start of the season. Campbell had been the subject of a transfer bid from Benfica, but Arsenal declined to do a deal despite the Costa Rican’s lack of first-team action.
Batica was quoted in Portuguese paper O Jogo (h/t the Daily Mail) as saying: "Benfica fought until the last minute to sign Campbell but the move didn’t happen because, in the last hour, Arsenal decided to keep him."
Wenger says he did not want to sell him. But if he is not in his plans, then why not allow him to leave?
It was a valid question. The most likely answer is Wenger simply wanted to observe Campbell at close quarters—to watch him every day in training for the first time and ascertain if he could one day be an Arsenal player.
Nevertheless, Campbell grew restless at his lack of playing time. Come January, Wenger consented to let him go on loan, and he was used as a makeweight in the deal that brought Gabriel Paulista to London. At the same time as joining Villarreal, Campbell extended his deal with Arsenal. This kind of double deal is becoming increasingly common: It protects Arsenal’s investment and means he remains in their control in the event he should flourish while away. It’s not necessarily an indicator of Wenger’s faith.
For Campbell, that’s the major issue. Wenger had the opportunity to use him between August and January but seemed largely reluctant. At 23, Campbell needs a manager who is prepared to give him the playing time he requires to iron out the rawness in his game.
Another loan spell would be no good for him. By the end of next season, he’ll be 24 and no closer to nailing down a permanent starting role at the Emirates Stadium. Campbell’s ambition to earn his place at Arsenal is admirable, but it now seems unrealistic. The window of opportunity to do that appears to be closing.
Being at Arsenal has raised Campbell’s profile and put him on the footballing map. However, that does not mean it’s necessarily the place where he should continue his career. He may have to move to a smaller club, but that could see him make a bigger career for himself in the years to come.
James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.
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