The Arsenal loan players that could have helped us to get a Top Four place | OneFootball

The idea of a loan deal was once designed to give a young Arsenal player a chance to have more minutes on the pitch. Arsenal have long used this method as part of a youngster’s development.

Recently though we have used this market as a form of getting individuals off the wage bill, largely because clubs refuse to pay a transfer fee for a talent on too high a salary. Because other owners are aware of the Kroenke’s priority to save money, they are not going to invest one large sum when they know the Gunners will lend you that asset for a season while paying part of their earnings.

So where once a loanee would think a successful campaign would earn them an opportunity at their parent club, those In power at the Emirates will be thinking how much an assets value increased.

Apart from Saliba (and that’s arguable), the majority of these loans were not approved with the players best interests in mind. Therefore, you couldn’t blame the majority for feeling they got the last laugh over their employers. At the very least they proved their doubters wrong.

It’s rare that the most successful players at your club are those elsewhere.

Bellerin and Maitland Miles are the only Gunners who lifted a trophy, Reiss Nelson featured in a European Final, Torreira has qualified for the UEFA Conference League, Bellerin the Europa, Saliba and Guendouzi the Champions League.

Guendouzi and Saliba – Marseille The duo have helped Marseille return to the Champions League, enhancing their growing reputation in France which led to both being capped for the first time.

Both futures couldn’t be more opposite though. If Marseille’s president gets his way, he would have the two back full time next season. Clauses have been activated to trigger a permanent deal for Guendouzi. That Arsenal would agree to an obligation to buy for just 11 million highlights their desperation to reduce the wage bill. In today’s market, the 23-year-old is worth so much more then what we will end up getting.

Bear in mind, he’s only a year older than Lokonga.

This is an example of Arteta’s failure to get the best out of the resources he has. The midfielder’s reaction to a loss at Brighton in 2020 was to boast about his earnings. Rightfully a horrible side of his personality.

A refusal to apologize or take accountability meant he would never pull on a red and white shirt again, despite his manager promising last summer everyone had a fresh chance.

He hasn’t been shy in wanting Saliba to stay with him at the Velodrome. Nor has President McCourt or his National press. Quite simply his homeland are amazed that a defender good enough to be selected by the World Champions has been deemed not good enough for one of the worst Arsenal squads in decades.

At first it was viewed a then teenager’s duty of care was being prioritised. The then 19-year-old moved to England after the death of his parents and during COVID. Arsenal felt it be better he spend the Pandemic closer to family and friends. The only issue being the centre back didn’t agree and never felt part of the action plan.

Named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season, Saliba doesn’t seem against staying where he is and playing in the Champions League. Although they have zero option to buy, Marseille want to test the water.

If a player who cost us 27 million never kicks a ball for us, that would be the biggest waste of money in our history.

Bellerin – Real Betis One of two Gunners with a winner’s medal to show for this campaign. Don’t downplay what winning Copa Del Rey means to the 27-year-old, as he grew up a Real Betis supporter and there he is helping end their 17 years wait for a trophy.

If anyone is entitled to feel he got the last laugh over Arsenal, it could be the Spaniard. He was being left out for the likes of Cedric and Chambers.

Off the pitch he was being mocked for his love of fashion and bids to protect the environment.

In reality, the full back has been at the club for a decade and contributed to 3 FA Cups. The only thing he ever did wrong was suffer serious injuries which robbed him of his pace.

The Full back said he fell in love with football again in Spain which tells you where his heart is at, but Betis can’t get near his 100,000-pound a week wages.

I would sell Cedric and keep the 27-year-old as cover. Don’t put it past our board to essentially release a player with 12 months left on his contract.

Maitland Niles – Roma The other Gunner with a winners medal this season, as an unused sub in the UEFA Conference League.

My favourite debate on JustArsenal remains a reader who said Niles was better than Kante despite being nothing more than a makeshift full back for us.

Having rejected a loan move from Everton, Arteta had a heart to heart with the 24-year-old and tried to find a club where he could play him in midfield.

That a move to Roma was authorised when 2 DMs were at the African Cup of Nations tells you everything. If Niles could realise he’s not the midfielder he thinks he is and embraces left or right back, he could stay.

If not, we should have taken that 20 million Wolves were willing to pay a couple of years ago.

Reiss Nelson – Feyenoord There’s an embrace after the Conference League Final between our two academy graduates. While Niles walked away with the winner’s medal, it’s Nelson who’s loan has been more impressive with over 20 games in Holland and 10 in Europe.

Feyenoord were not impressed with the winger’s fitness when he arrived.

Perhaps the biggest positive is the 22-year-old seems more educated about training and eating healthy.

Could be a squad player for us next season?

Torreira – Fiorentina Had an impressive season in Serie A helping Fiorentina return to Europe. Despite this, he is not in Arteta’s plan and doesn’t want to be, seemingly homesick the moment he arrived in North London.

After the death of his mother, the midfielder’s father begged Arsenal to lower their valuation so he could return to South America. The fact before and after he’s settled in Italy proves England was the problem.

The player’s agent feels Fiorentina are back tracking over an agreed price per appearances. They most likely are calling our bluff, knowing a player who was lonely in the Capital, with 12 months left of his contract, not wanted by his manager – we don’t hold many cards.

Mari – Udinese Played all but two games since his loan move. Udinese have zero option or obligation to buy though.

There has been talk that Edu is interested in using the defender in a swap deal for Molina.

Writing this I can’t help but think back to January when we were able to get the NLD postponed due to a lack of players.

Saliba, Torreira and Guendouzi are good enough for our first team. Bellerin and Niles are just as good as Cedric.

Arsenal had players who could have made our squad stronger and maybe could have helped achieve the Top Four, but the priority was slashing the wage bill.

Be Kind In the comments

Dan Smith

CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…

Learn more about Arsenal’s proud history – Decade by Decade CLICK HERE to visit our new Arsenal History section