Arsenal: 3 loan transfers that need to happen this summer

1. Miguel Azeez

Age: 18
Contract expiry: 2022 (option to extend to 2024)
Possible loan destinations: Football League

Reports began to emerge before the previous season ended that such was the impression Miguel Azeez was making with the Under-23 side, as well as in senior training, that he would be given a chance to be among the first team setup for the coming term.

The news delighted most. Azeez is a huge talent who despite being only 18 years old has shown all the qualities that will make him a star in this team in the years to come. His goalscoring outing in pre-season only helped his case.

The previous reports were matched with more recent developments that backed up the claims of him being handed his chance, noting the impressive work he’d put in in the gym to work on his physical attributes.

But are the occasional FA Cup and Carabao Cup outings – the average amount of cup games in a season probably hovers at around four – really going to aid his development all that much? With no European football there isn’t anything else going.

With full focus on the Premier League season, Mikel Arteta has Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Mohamed Elneny all available to play in those slots (on the basis that both Willock and Maitland-Niles depart) thus his opportunities will be slim.

He doesn’t have to leave on a season-long loan spell. As impressive as he’s been, Azeez is still only 18 and has plenty of his career ahead of him to continue training in the Arsenal setup before he gets his chance more frequently or goes on a full loan elsewhere.

However, even just six months would be beneficial to him at a side in the Football League, at least that way he can return once AFCON kicks off and two of those ahead of him in the pecking order jet off.