It’s frustrating, but it’s inevitable. Arsene Wenger has built a culture at Arsenal whereby his club is linked to the brightest young talent in world football. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, the last thing they want to hear is that their beloved side has been linked to another 15-year-old.
Take for instance, this rumour courtesy of GiveMeFootball: Arsenal are one of a number of sides (including Liverpool and Manchester United) who are said to be in the running for Swedish defensive prodigy Hampus Dahlqvist. He is, of course, just 15-years-old. The source even goes as far as to claim that the IFK Gotenburg star is set to go on trial with Arsenal next week.
Whilst this is bemusing, it does have a ring of truth about it. This is the kind of signing that Arsene Wenger loves to make, before he crosses his fingers and starts to hope that the player comes good in five years’ time.
It amazes me that Wenger has the time to oversee this move, when he has so much to work on with the players he currently has. Let’s not forget, that this is an Arsenal side in disarray. An Arsenal side who don’t seem capable of pulling a result out of the bag under any circumstances.
Regardless of how exciting a talent Hampus Dahlqvist is, he has no chance of breaking into the first team for at least 3-4 seasons. Why waste the resource, when there are bigger priorities at the Emirates?
Do we really expect Arsene Wenger to still be around in five years’ time when players like this start to come good? He looks exhausted. He looks fed up. Surely there’s only so much more maltreatment he can take from this board? This is surely why he bought fully formed players like Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud last summer. The time for youth is over.
Arsenal fans are desperate for success and aren’t willing to wait much longer. It strikes me that Arsene Wenger has cottoned on to this feeling, even if the Arsenal board seems unconcerned. This January will see much bigger signings than this.
After all, if he doesn’t extend his reach into the transfer market and pluck up a couple of world class players, this Arsenal side could drop to mid-table status. And then what role would a 15-year-old play?
What’s your take? Should Arsenal snap up Hampus Dahlqvist?
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So, because Arsenal are playing poorly we should just ignore youth players? Ridiculous article. Besides,I’m fairly sure this would be overseen by talent scouts and youth coaches, not just Wenger by himself. It’s not January so it’s not like he can make a proper purchase yet (and for all we know he’s working on one behind the scenes, Although I doubt it
I think wenger is out of his senses and going mad! we need serious business, some quality signings. why should he go for a 15 yr old kid when we have a full academy full of talents?Come on AW!
Very simple. It’s all about money. Buy young players, groom them and sell them for big profits.
Professor’s Priorities are mixed up
He has gone bonkers if he really signs the starlet.The first team is struggling. Every effort shd be made to improve it not some starlets who will fail to deliver as withthe wonder kids some seasons ago.
In 2008,after the league cup win over Steve bruce’s team,Wenger said when my boys blah times 10,they will take the football world by storm.Since then what has happened to Vela,Denilson,brenthner etc? They have disappeared into oblivion and the first team is struggling.
He shd do well to reflect on his starlet policy.The top priority must be given to improving the senior team now. If your present team can’t win,logically speaking, that is of paramount importance than getting starlets who will ,imho,not that of immediate urgency.
Another ridiculous article by an uninformed writer. How does signing a talented 15 year old stop us buying world class talent for the first team ?? we do both !! Presumably you would rather wait till he`s 25 and pay £20m for him ? We`re signing kids all the time, some make it, most don`t, it`s called forward thinking.