When Bacary Sagna left Arsenal to join Manchester City earlier this summer, I think it’s fair to say that fans started to worry. Whilst Arsenal fans are used to seeing their best players head to the exit door, Sagna’s consistency looked difficult to replace. It’s not like there are a wealth of talented right-backs out there.
As it happens, Arsene Wenger has done a good job in this department. He’s brought in not one, but two replacements, both of whom look capable of making their mark for Arsenal.
The first, Mathieu Debuchy, an experienced French international full-back, is likely to hold down a starting berth in Arsenal’s first team for many years to come. He’s great on the ball and smart off it. He also comes complete with Premier League experience. What more could you ask for?
Then there’s Calum Chambers, Southampton’s ex-right back. This signing is more of a curiosity. The 19-year-old is relatively inexperienced in comparison to Debuchy and it’s not clear how much game-time he’ll get next season.
Besides, didn’t The Gunners already have a back-up right-back in the form of Carl Jenkinson? The 22-year-old is a fan-favourite (mostly because he himself was an Arsenal fan growing up and has a genuine passion for the club), but it’s difficult to see where he fits in now.
The Metro claim that Hull have offered £5m to Arsenal in return for Carl Jenkinson. I can’t help but wonder if this is a deal that Wenger is now willing to consider.
For what it’s worth, I hope it’s not. Jenkinson may not have a role in this Arsenal side this season, or even the next, but he’s good enough to break into it further down the line. He needs a loan move to build up his confidence and gain some game time.
It’s worth noting that Chambers has been brought in for his versatility. The young Englishman is capable of playing in the centre-of-defense and in the central midfield. He’s not necessarily a right-back in the long-term.
This opens the door for Carl Jenkinson to sneak back in and claim a starting berth somewhere down the line. He just needs to stay patient and keep believing.
Surely Arsene Wenger wouldn’t have put him out to pasture?
What’s your take? What does the future hold for Carl Jenkinson?
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