Arsenal: Jon Toral Hoping For No More Midfielders

Arsenal are still being linked to numerous midfielders, but play time is over. Any more midfielders would end Jon Toral’s future prospectus.

One of the biggest (and now largely forgotten) surprises from the summer was Arsenal’s quick move to loan out Jon Toral. Again. After bringing home player and goal of the season for Birmingham City, where he displayed such brilliance, Wenger didn’t even blink. Off you go to your homeland.

Toral will be spending the year with Granada and, surprise, he has already scored a winning goal for them in a friendly with Mallorca.

It’s as if Jon Toral is trying to tell us something. Maybe something along the lines of ‘give me a damn chance!’

Now 21 years old, Toral is in that rare middle ground between our teenage future and our mid-20s present. But he is still being treated like a teenager, which is what is so baffling. Wenger is not usually one to turn away a prospect hoping to stake his claim at Arsenal. That’s precisely what Toral is.

While we don’t know what went on to lead to this loan, it can’t be all that positive for his future prospectus. While still with the Blues, he noted that his future was at Arsenal. But there is always that hesitation over if the chance is never given to him.

Just ask Isaac Hayden.

With each loan, I can’t help but feel that Toral’s future is more and more in doubt. All this time that younger players are getting with the first time is lost on him as he travels the world.

Toral absolutely must be hoping that all these links to random midfielders are false. Arsenal has been linked to Ghezzal, Lemina, Mahrez and Isco, among others. All of them are 24 or younger. Another midfielder in that age range provides yet another obstacle to young Toral and one that could prove to be the final nail in the coffin.

I don’t know what more Jon Toral can prove away from Arsenal. Let me go ahead and hazard a guess: Nothing. He dominated the Championship division, plain and simple. He has been performing well on every loan in recent memory, yet still that chance eludes him.

Whatever Toral needs to do, it has to happen this year. Come next summer, guys like Zelalem and Reine-Adelaide will be sneaking in, looking to pip a first team midfield role and the most likely casualty will be a peripheral figure like Toral.

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All he can do at this point is continue to perform and hope that Wenger stays stingy.

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