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Arsenal Loaning Chuba Akpom Means Transfer Coming?

By Josh Sippie

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In a bit of shocking news, Arsene Wenger has decided to give Chuba Akpom the old year-long heave-ho. The young striker will be joining Isaac Hayden at Hull City for the year, according to BBC Sport, despite what Arsene Wenger had said earlier in the year.

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When asked if Chuba Akpom would be sent out on loan, Wenger replied: “No. I sent him out on loan last year because I thought he needed that. This pre-season, during the season I plan to keep him with us,” (via Arsenal.com).

Wenger had indicated that Chuba Akpom would be given a chance to prove that he was enough striker cover for the Gunners and he was largely proving his case this preseason before being sent off. So either Arsene Wenger was pulling our chain the whole time or he has a better plan underway.

I like to think that Arsene Wenger would not leave Arsenal too thinly staffed again like he did with our defensive midfield and defensive line in years past. Now that Arsenal have spending power and enormous title-winning potential, he has taken this team extra seriously by purchasing Petr Cech. But since then, it has been all quiet.

Many would argue that Arsenal do not need another striker. Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck all weigh in as strikers. But the truth is that Walcott is injury-prone and yet unproven at the position, Danny Welbeck cannot score to save his life, despite being proficient in other aspects of the game, and Olivier Giroud goes cold far too often, despite being absolute class when he is on point.

Shipping off Chuba Akpom leaves Arsenal’s striking position in the hands of three guys, all of whom have a few questions surrounding them.

So again, why did Arsene Wenger go back on what he said and in the process, leave Arsenal with one less striker?

I do not often like to make solid conclusions, especially concerning Arsene Wenger, but the most obvious answer is that all of this is because Arsenal have a striker move lined up. Why else would Wenger send off a striker he had said he would keep.

If, in the worst case scenario, Arsenal have sent off Akpom with no plans to nab another striker, that puts Arsenal in an awfully awkward situation where they are at risk. That’s not to say that anything will happen, but risk is never a good thing, and Arsenal find themselves too often at risk. Having just Francis Coquelin at defensive midfield is a risk. Having three strikers, none of whom are rock solid and consistent strikers, is a risk.

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Another problem that may also arise is if Arsenal cannot land another striker to cover for Akpom’s absence. Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski are the two names that Arsenal are the most linked to, yet the pursuit of both of them has hit speed bump after speed bump and you have to wonder if a month is enough time to wrap one of them up, if that is even Wenger’s intention.

Le Prof has indicated that he wants to give his players a chance in August to prove that Arsenal do not need to make more signings. That is all well and good, but with Danny Welbeck set to miss that month, that still only leaves Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud to perform. We already know what Giroud can do and even if Theo Walcott can prove himself a capable striker, he is still a risk of injury and I would be sickened if he got hurt and left us with a hot-and-cold Olivier Giroud.

Arsene Wenger needs to be prepared for the worst case scenario. He did that at keeper. By sending off Akpom, lets hope he is also doing the same at striker.

Next: Theo Walcott Deserves the Money

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