The day was the 2nd October 2005 and the stage was the final of the FIFA U-17 World Championship. Mexico went on to beat Brazil 3-0 to lift the World Championship for the first time and the Mexican supporters could be heard chanting one young man’s name.

That name was Carlos Vela and it was his five goals that helped crown Mexico as U-17 World Champions and won him the Adidas Golden Boot. On top of all this, a £2.5m deal had just been struck to take Carlos to Arsenal FC and this would see him thrust into the football limelight.

Three years on, after two season-long loans at Spanish Clubs UD Salamanca and CA Osasuna, Arsene Wenger revealed that Carlos Vela would be returning to Arsenal Football Club after receiving a British work permit. After previously failing in an attempt to gain a work permit, Carlos was granted a Spanish passport after a successful season in Spain which saw him play a vital role in keeping CA Osasuna in the Primera Liga.

Vela played a total of 32 games for Osasuna this season and contributed three goals to the teams cause whilst playing out on the left. He became a popular figure amongst the fans after he scored his goals in important games and the Osasuna faithful will be sad to see him go.

However, after previously stating that Arsenal failed to get a work permit the first time around, the question begs to be asked how would he have featured had he not had his first team experience in Spain? With The Boss preferring a 4-4-2 at home and often playing a 4-5-1 away that means that, given Arsenal’s fire power up top, one striker would be missing from the 16 and chances are that would have been Vela.

Nonetheless, first team experience will prove valuable to Carlos and now Arsenal fans will finally get to see their Mexican prodigy in the club’s famous red and white strip. After Wenger announced that Carlos would be in the first team squad next season he had this to say about him: “Carlos has played the whole season at Osasuna on the left-wing and he had to work hard there.” He went on to say: “But for me it is not his position. He is a central striker, an Eduardo type. He is a great young player.”

Another question I have over the move to bring Vela into the frame is will he be able to adapt to the English game? Many fans will recall the hype and goal-scoring ability of Arturo Lupoli when he was in the reserves but he never managed to adapt to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League. Another example can be seen in Jose Antonio Reyes who, unlike Lupoli, came with a lot of promise and a very hefty transfer fee but yet again failed to make the step from European football.

All being said, it now appears that Vela will become Arsenal’s fourth striker next season and, with Eduardo out injured until at least December, the young star will be a main stay in Arsenal’s Carling Cup campaign. But with Vela being drafted in, and excluding Eduardo, that still leaves Arsenal with five strikers so therefore somebody will still not have a place on the bench.

There are a few options though that could be plausible which would still see all five strikers play some part in Arsenal’s campaign. The first of which would not be my preferred choice but is still an option and that would be to move Robin Van Persie out to the left. I feel that Van Persie’s technical attributes are wasted when he is moved out wide as he is not a winger, more of a second striker but surely if Wenger asked Robin to play there the player would make the sacrifice for the team.

The other option would see one of the strikers currently at the club move on or be loaned out and that player would be Nicklas Bendtner. Bendtner had an eventful last campaign which includes his spat with team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor but still managed to chip in with a few goals. I feel that Bendtner has the potential to be a good player but, like a lot of young players, often lets his ego take control and if he is not careful could see him going down the same route as Anelka.

Having come so close to lifting a trophy last season, the Arsenal squad often looked a bit small and in-experienced in comparison to that of Chelsea and Manchester United. I think what Arsenal need this summer is to bring in one or two experienced players who have the ability to pick the team up and steady the ship when results start going the wrong way.

To find the right blend between youth and experience is the key to success and I firmly believe that with the youth set-up we have all we need is a few more leaders to go into the squad. Let’s not forget though that it was Wenger’s policy of putting faith in younger players that gave us two of our first team regulars in Cesc Fabregas and Gael Clichy.

So this pre-season should be an interesting one as it will give Gooners everywhere the chance to see Carlos Vela in an Arsenal shirt for the first time. As for next season we shall have to wait and see but I am sure that with the right blend this Arsenal squad can compete on all four fronts and hopefully end Arsenal’s hunt for silverware.