With the international break coming to an end and fixtures returning this weekend it is time to round out the summer transfer analysis. Previously I discussed the five signings made by Arsenal in the last three days of the transfer window as Arsene Wenger looked to inject experience into a young squad that has been struggling so far this season. These signings were not the only new faces to join Arsenal during the summer transfer period. Wenger and company brought in an additional four new faces during the earlier part of the transfer window and it is these signings that I will analyze in this article.
1. Carl Jenkinson-The 19-year old right back signed from Charlton in early June for the small fee of £1 million. He has played for the youth national teams of both England and Finland (he has dual nationality) and he has experience as both a wing and central defender. Jenkinson is most comfortable as a right back as we have seen so far this season at Arsenal where he has already seen action in both the Premier and Champions League. This is a meteoric rise for a player that was playing non-league football at Eastbourne Borough less than a year ago, but Jenkinson is a player with enormous talent and real potential to become a fixture in the Arsenal side in the years to come. He lacks experience at this point and would really benefit from a loan spell at either the Championship or Premier League level but injuries and lack of squad depth have forced him into early action at Arsenal. His play this season has been inconsistent, but this is expected of a young player who has moved up to a higher level of play, and he was badly exposed at Old Trafford by Nani and company where he ended up seeing red for a second caution. I don’t think Jenkinson is quite ready to appear for Arsenal in the Premier League and I would really like to see him go out on loan, but if he is to stay with the first team, expect him to get a lot of experience in the Carling and FA Cup.
2. Gervinho-The 24-year old Ivorian was a £10.5 million signing from Lille and is the summer signing likely to have the greatest impact at Arsenal. A very direct winger with wizard like dribbling skills and a low center of gravity, Gervinho is known for running at opposing defenders with pace and immense skill. His final ball can be a bit lacking in some matches, but he looked very sharp in the second leg of the Champions League playoff against Udinese where he contributed to both goals. He was unfairly sent off in the opening fixture against Newcastle so we have only seen him in action once in the Premier League but once he returns against Blackburn Rovers (he serves the final game of his suspension this week against Swansea) the quality of the Arsenal attack is sure to improve. He scored 28 goals and had 14 assists in two years at Lille, so Gervinho brings a record of consistent production to Arsenal and he will be a great complement to Walcott and van Persie in the Arsenal attack.
3. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain-The 18-year old England youth international was the most expensive signing made by Arsenal this summer with a fee that rises to £15 million if all add-on’s are met (this would tie Arsenal’s transfer record). Signed from Southampton, Chamberlain has been called the next Theo Walcott (who was also signed from the south-coast club) and although both have blistering pace they are different players. Walcott currently plays on the wing and I think will eventually become an out-and-out center forward like Henry while Chamberlain is more of a natural midfielder who is quite skilled with the ball at his feet and in space. He made 41 appearances last term in League One where he scored 10 goals and added 9 assists and helped Southampton get promoted to the Championship. Over the international break he started to see time with the England U-21 team and he produced two great performances against Azerbaijan and Israel where he had three assists and drew a penalty. Chamberlain made his first appearance for Arsenal as a 62nd minute substitute at Old Trafford where he became the 150th player to appear for Arsenal in the Premier League era. I think Chamberlain is a player with enough talent to make an immediate impact at Arsenal without anytime spent out on loan and expect to see him as used as an impact substitute in the Premier League and a fixture in starting lineup of Arsenal’s cup squads.
4. Joel Campbell-The 19-year old Costa Rican striker was signed from Deportivo Saprissa for a fee totaling £930,000. A young left-footed striker who has made big impressions this summer at the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America tournaments for the Costa Rican senior team is a signing made with the future in mind. Efficient and clinical in front of goal, Campbell has an outstanding goal-scoring record at the national level scoring eight goals in nine games at the U-17 level, ten goals in thirteen games at the U-20 level, and two goals in six games at the senior level. He was denied a work permit so he will be spending the season on loan at Ligue 1 club Lorient, but I expect to see him back at Arsenal in the near future. Campbell is a class talent and as long as he gets games at Lorient he will have an impact much like Ryo had at Feyenoord during the spring of last season.
This concludes the transfer discussion from the summer window as the window is closed until January, and I expect that Arsenal will once again be active as they continually look to improve the squad and win a trophy during this season. Until then Come On Arsenal and lets get back to the winning ways this weekend against Swansea.
Guest Post: Korey Carter
Follow @KoreyPCarter
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