Arsenal midfielder set to seal permanent EFL transfer | OneFootball

Arsenal could be set to allow one of their youngsters to leave on a permanent basis this summer, with The Guardian journalist Will Unwin reporting James Olayinka is heading to Cheltenham.

The League One side are still on the lookout for recruits this window to ensure they have the best possible chance at retaining their third tier status and potentially pushing on too.

Now, the club have turned their attention to the midfielder, who rather than joining them on a loan deal could be penning a full-time contract with the side.

The true or false Cheltenham Town Quiz – Can you get 15 out of 15?

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The 21-year-old does have some EFL experience under his belt though already, having been out on loan to Northampton and Southend in the past. His first short-term stint with the Cobblers resulted in just one league game but it was enough to warrant Southend sealing a loan deal for him a campaign later.

It was during this stint that he truly thrived, managing a total of 20 league games with two goals. It wasn’t enough to keep the side up as they were relegated out of the Football League but it clearly caught the attention of some other teams, with Cheltenham now looking to seal a deal for Olayinka.

He’s had to spend the last two seasons merely playing for the Gunners’ reserve side though and after impressing for them too – six goal contributions in just four starts this campaign attests to that – he is now ready to kick on with Cheltenham having potentially found himself a permanent home there.

The Verdict

Olayinka could be a very smart signing for Cheltenham, especially with the club set to land him on a permanent basis.

The youngster has already shown that he can produce the goods in the EFL or in League Two at least and you would think that the midfielder is exactly the type of signing a team like Cheltenham should be making. They aren’t blessed with the biggest budget and signing some Premier League youngsters, with high potential, could work out well for them in the long haul.

Olayinka hasn’t had tons of competitive experience but when he has, he’s thrived. Now, he could do even better if he has a permanent home in League One too, as he won’t have to worry about having to uproot and move again come the end of the campaign.

He’s young and the potential resale value is high too – so it’s good business by the club.