Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that young striker Joel Campbell will stay at the Emirates after resisting repeated attempts from many clubs to sign him.
The 22 year old greatly impressed during the 2014 World Cup and then in the Emirates cup during pre-season, building on an encouraging season on loan with Olympiacos last campaign.
His future had been placed in doubt ahead of the upcoming season, with some reports suggesting that Benefica have submitted a £7.9 million offer for the striker’s services.
However the French boss, who has already lost striker Olivier Giroud through injury until at least January, has confirmed that there have been a lot of offers for the striker but he has slammed the door on them all.
According to the Mirror, he said:
We have had a lot of offers for Joel and have turned them all down.
There are plenty of clubs – I don’t know exactly how many because once I said to my assistants, ‘He will not go out on loan’, if somebody calls them they don’t even tell me any more because, when I say no, it’s no.
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But he is definitely a player wanted by many clubs.
The Gunners have been rocked this week by the news that Olivier Giroud will face a lengthy spell on the sidelines. With Alexis Sanchez the only realistic senior option in the striking role, Yaya Sanogo coming back from an injury problem and Theo Walcott still sidelined, one alternative currently on Arsenal’s books is young Costa Rican striker Joel Campbell.
The youngster enjoyed a successful World Cup with his nation and was the sole striker for the majority of the nation’s campaign. He has proven in patches he is capable of performing on the highest stage and under a lot of pressure which bodes well for his Gunners future, however he still has a lot to work on.
He is a different sort of striker to Giroud, as the Frenchman is more of a target man while Campbell uses his pace to run between the defenders. Still not convinced of Campbell’s abilities but Wenger certainly is, so should we not sign a striker before the transfer deadline then we may see more of the Costa Rican up front this season.
Can Campbell play as a lone striker up front? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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