Arsenal's Youngsters on Loan Are Must Keeps

It is routine for Arsenal youngsters under Arsene Wenger to find themselves farmed out in the lower leagues on loan before hitting the big time. It is these experiences which prime them for eventual first-team football.

The likes of Niklas Bendtner, Carlos Vela, Alexander Song, and Johan Djourou have all been loaned out and returned as solid, reliable players who are now regular first-teamers and veritable stars.

This year, Arsene Wenger has sent the "future Cesc Fabgregas" Fran Merida to Spanish second division side Real Sociedad, where Fran has seen a great amount of first-team football, already scoring one particularly brilliant goal. He is a must keep for Arsenal and, at the tender age of 18, has a big future ahead.

Nacer Barazite is a talented Dutch teenager currently loaned out to last years' Premiership stragglers Derby County. Barazite, having scored several hat-tricks for the Arsenal reserves, has not found action wanting at Derby and has proven instrumental in many games already.

The young Dutchman will be returning in December and he will no doubt see Carling Cup action and probably a few first-team appearances.

Harvard Nodveit was hailed the brightest defensive player in Europe by former Norway coach Nils Johan Semb, and why not? He signed with the club from Norwegian side Haugesund in 2006 for around $500k and in his first season was made captain of the reserves, aged just 17 years.

The Norwegian is currently on loan at UD Salamaca, a Spanish second-division side. He will return to Arsenal as a great defender and will no doubt be knocking on the door for first-team selection. 

Armand Troare, the talented left back who has already played a handful of games for Arsenal is on loan at Portsmouth, where he has been pivotal in their success so far. The Frenchmen is debating whether to stay at Portsmouth, where they are very keen to have him, and it would be a huge loss to the Arsenal side to lose the talented Frenchman, and Wenger knows it.

The other talented youngsters on loan are Vincent van Derberg, Kerrea Gilbert, and Perdro Bolheto, who are all very talented and will hopefully stay at Arsenal, where they may yet play a big part in Arsenal's Carling Cup campaign next season.

As you can see, Arsenal have a wide range of excelling youngsters, thanks mainly to Arsene Wenger, who did well to find such worthy recruits and will enjoy the fruits of his scouting for years to come.