Arsenal: Are we just forgetting about Krystian Bielik, then?

Arsenal have a wealth of young, talented defenders, and more look to be on their way. But have we gone ahead and forgotten about Krystian Bielik prematurely?

Arsenal’s defensive stock has one thing in common – they are all incredibly young. Calum Chambers, just 23 years old, looks ready to take the Premier League’s next step and lock down a starting role, like he was always destined to do.

Konstantinos Mavropanos, who is just 20, is right behind him. He made just a few appearances with the senior team, but in the process, he endeared himself to fans with his rough style, where he proved that he was unafraid to bulldoze anyone in his way.

Rob Holding, 22, has hit a rough patch, but call it a sophomore slump. These things happen. The world is still ahead of him and he has a ton of talent.

With reports of Caglar Soyuncu also making headway among the throng of transfer rumors, it sounds like there are going to be a wealth of young options to choose from, and that isn’t including the potential stay of still-young Shkodran Mustafi.

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So what I want to know is – what happened to Krystian Bielik? Why has there been absolutely no reminder that this young, 20-year-old who was once one of the hottest names in the entire youth academy, is still alive and well?

Bielik suffered an injury last year that kept him out of commission for about half a year. When 2018 began, he was sent out on loan to Walsall, where he suffered another injury and was sent back to Arsenal before even making an appearance, if anything, farther away from being the star he was meant to be than when he started the year.

That is where his season ended, in relative anonymity caused by two devastating injuries, nipping away a crucial year to his future with the club.

But by no means does this negate his potential, or his future with the club. Again, he is only 20-years-old and in case you have forgotten, he is an immensely talented young man who can hold his own against the likes of Holding and Mavropanos if given the chance. But now we’re running the risk of prematurely ending his hopes. That is, if all these links to older defenders prove to be true.

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Bielik deserves his chance too. This year was supposed to be the last step before he could be assessed for Premier League inclusion. It was supposed to be the carry over before he could prove himself. So he lost a year. Hit the reset and let him try again this season.

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