Arsenal: Krystian Bielik just another name to throw in the ring

Krystian Bielik put in a Man of the Match performance for Charlton in the playoff final on Sunday. He is another young name to throw in the Arsenal ring that Unai Emery will have big decisions to make regarding this summer.

Unai Emery inherited a whole host of somewhat talented but vaguely uncertain young players at Arsenal.

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There are those that were already more established, those like Alex Iwobi, Rob Holding and Ainsley Maitland-Niles who had already played a handful of appearances for the first team. Then there were the likes of Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah, of which much was made but very little had been achieved yet. And then finally, there were those that were almost forgotten among the rigamarole of modern day football.

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That last category is where Krystian Bielik fits in. The Polish international was signed all the way back in January 2015, over four years ago. When he arrived, he was very much heralded as the ‘next Patrick Vieira’, very much seen as one of the most talented young players in all of Europe. He has not quite progressed as was hoped, but he is still young and still has time to realise his potential.

And that is what, very quietly, he has been doing with his time on loan at Charlton. A series of injuries scuppered his mid-season appearances, but Bielik has since forced his way into the team as a regular fixture under Lee Bowyer, with the Charlton coaching staff reportedly enamoured with his composure and positional versatility. At just 21, he has played in both central defence and midfield.

On Sunday, Bielik was named Man of the Match for Charlton’s last-minute playoff final win over Sunderland, again showing his flexible chops by moving into different positions as substitutions and tactical changes were made. He will now return to Arsenal hoping to win a role in the senior squad.

What role Bielik can win, I do not know. There are lots of players vying for minutes at both centre-back and central midfield, Calum Chambers another returning from a very successful year-long loan in which he was widely adorned by his club. But Bielik is most certainly another name that must be thrown into the ring of young talents that Emery must make a decision about this summer.

It could be that Bielik is not ready for Premier League action and needs another year on loan, although that would be slightly concerning at 21. Or it could be that Emery wants to see if he can usurp Dinos Mavropanos or Rob Holding or Chambers and force his way into the senior rotations at centre-back or midfield.

It remains to be seen what Emery has in mind for Bielik. But as Arsenal look to conjure up a rebuild through the youth ranks, the towering midfielder turned defender is another option that should be considered.