Benjamin Cullen
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas may soon be going out on loan, but with Robin Van Persie back to fitness, should Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela also be joining him?
Arsene Wenger recently discussed the possibility of his younger players going on loan in January and Jay Emmanuel Thomas' name looked to be top of the January exit list.
Arsene confirmed he would consider loan deals for "players like Jay Emmanuel-Thomas who need to mature to play, who don't get in the team at the moment ".
A number of Championship clubs have expressed an interest in taking Jay on loan in recent weeks, including Sheffield Utd. But with Jay having already completed two loan periods last year at Championship clubs - first with Doncaster and then with Blackpool - Wenger feels it is Premier League experience that would most benefit the youngster now.
“If I can find them a club in the Premier League I will let him go to let him have an experience like Jack Wilshere last year.”
Jay Emmanuel Thomas (nicknamed JET) certainly looks in need of a new challenge because reserve team football no longer seems to provide much of it for the versatile youngster- in the 7 appearances he's made so far this season Jay has fired in 10 goals (including the odd wonder goal, such as this one against Everton.
But yet he hasn't really had chance to prove himself at a higher level having only featured for Arsenal twice so far: both times coming on as a substitute very late in the game, admittedly to little effect.
So if JET isn't to get his chance in the Arsenal first team this year, then come January it seems logical that he should get a chance to prove his Premiership credentials elsewhere.
But another player who some might argue 'needs to mature to play', as Wenger puts it, is Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner.
In a recent outburst Bendtner himself claimed "I just lack minor things now to be back to my best again but I'm only getting those by playing matches." So why not give him what he wants (and in fairness probably needs too)? Especially if, as Wenger claims, “Van Persie is getting stronger every day" and that "in the next month to three weeks (January time) he will really be back to his best level."
Arsene Wenger's talk of possible combinations between Van Persie and Chamakh also suggest that Bendtner's playing opportunities will be all the fewer should Van Persie regain (and retain) full fitness.
“We can play Chamakh and Van Persie together. We can play Chamakh up front and Van Persie behind. What is interesting is that we can play all kind of formations with the two.”
And with Carling Cup (and Champions League) now reaching the sharp end. Wenger might be even less inclined to field his fringe players - of which at present Bendtner is undoubtedly one.
Of course Wenger may feel Van Persie's injury proneness would make such a move overly risky. He'd still have two baskets to put his eggs in, so to speak, but then one of those baskets looks likely to break at any moment (and complains that other Dutch baskets aren't bought, but that’s another matter). Anyhow, Bendtner leaving might leave Arsene a little shorter for options than he'd like to be up top.
A swap deal, however, could eliminate that particular problem.
Bolton are known to be looking to lose some of the wage burden that has put the club into over £80 million pounds of debt and top earners such as Gary Cahill and Johan Elmander look likely to make way sooner or later.
Elmander is now moving into the last six months of his contract and Owen Coyle has already stated that "if in January a top club, a Champions League club, came in for Johan, it would only be natural that he would turn his head at that".
Wenger's opinion on Elmander's suitability for Arsenal isn't known, but Coyle - who Wenger obviously does think highly of - describes the Swede as 'a top class player' and Elmander's performances and eight goal haul have certainly impressed many this term, including his former team-mate Jack Wilshire.
Wilshire, on hearing of Johan's 'Barclays Player Of The Month' award in November, tweeted that Johan "deserves that award more than anyone! Always working hard and is a great lad and a good friend of mine"
I wonder if a six month swap-deal would be considered. That way Bendtner could get the first team football he craves and probably needs, and might also benefit from Owen Coyle's input as Jack Wilshire so obviously has.
