Conor Henderson revealed yesterday that his long association with Arsenal will come to an end this June, with the 21 year old midfielder desperate for regular first-team action having made just a solitary senior appearance for the Gunners.
Always regarded as a name to keep an eye on whilst progressing through the club’s Hale End Academy, Henderson’s Arsenal career, at least the latter part of it, has been plagued by injuries which have prevented him from making as much progress as he would’ve liked to in recent years. An excellent passer of the ball, he broke into the U18 side, then managed by Steve Bould, as a schoolboy before playing a role as the club won the FA Youth Cup and Premier Academy League double the following season. In 2009/10, following some consistent performances for the Reserves, he was surprisingly named on the bench for the first-team in Premier League fixtures away to Wigan Athletic and Blackburn Rovers, before impressing on his senior bow against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup 5th Round replay at Emirates Stadium in 2011.
That summer, however, proved to be the beginning of the end for Henderson at Arsenal as, on as a substitute in the unfamiliar role of left-back away to Cologne in a pre-season friendly, he damaged his knee ligaments and consequently made just one appearance at Reserve level last season. This campaign has been equally frustrating for the Republic of Ireland U21 international, as he failed to feature regularly during a loan spell at Coventry City, making just one league appearance for his temporary side, before returning to Arsenal with yet another injury. He has started the past three games at U21 level, especially impressing in the draw with Manchester United, but has trained with the first-team just once since his latest comeback, and the club have not discussed new terms with the midfielder, whose deal expires in the summer.
As disappointing as it is to see another player who at one stage, certainly towards the end of the 2010/11 season, appeared close to a breakthrough depart the club, perhaps now is the best time to face the reality that many of the club’s current second-string players could depart at the end of the campaign. It seems certain that Craig Eastmond and Sanchez Watt, two players who have also featured for the first-team, will leave, with goalkeeper James Shea and defenders Daniel Boateng and Sead Hajrovic likely to join them. Martin Angha and Jernade Meade, meanwhile, are likely to receive one-year extensions having featured for the first-team this season.
What about Rees and Neita, they won’t make it either and might just leave this summer right?
Yeah they would probably fall into that category too, although they are a bit younger than the others mentioned so might stay for one more year.
True, but a bit older than Angha that you mentioned ‘probably’ was getting an extension, which would also be madness if not giving him an extension.
i was looking at this last night and i would say there is as many as 19 academy players whose arsenal career is looking uncertain. add to that a whole host of first team squad members that are out of contract or currently enduring disappointing loan spells and i think last seasons record departure total could be broken again.
Let’s make a quick low-down
Almost certain departures:
Sebastien Squillaci, Andrey Arshavin, Andre Santos, Marouane Chamakh, Lukasz Fabianski, Ju-Young Park, Nicklas Bendtner, Vito Mannone, Denilson, Craig Eastmond, Sanchez Watt, James Shea, Conor Henderson, Sead Hajrovic, Samuel Galindo, Wellington Silva = 17 pax (a lot of salary saved there pfeew)
Likely:
Tomas Rosicky, Bacary Sagna, Johan Djourou, Francis Coquelin, Emmanuel Frimpong, Nicholas Yennaris, Jordan Wynter, Daniel Boateng.
i see jeffrey has joined stevenage on loan. very unusual for a scholar to go on loan is it not. i hope it doesnt mean the end for him ala monkana as he has impressed me this season
I think he has signed a pro already
I hope Le Coques and Yennaris stay. The 2 look like decent players and certainly have age on their side.
me too definitely, but I think I read at some point Le Coq was thinking of leaving to seek more playing time if he was not getting it at arse and he hasn’t played much ;-(
Still have faith in Sanchez Watts, think he can offer something to the first team.
deluded ,watts is maybe a championship player at the very best,at his age he has show nothing special that he will cut in the PL let alone at Arsenal. Time to let him loose and wish him the best (quiet a few of ex acemy player are doing well in the lower league).
We have to be more ruthless ,our wages bill is way too high to be competitive in the transfer market .
He can offer the first team refreshments and clean socks, is that what you mean?
We need to be as ruthless with first team players as we are with the u18s and u21s. How can we look at these players and tell them that they arent good enough to make the breakthrough yet when we have players like Gervinho, Andre Santos and to a lesser extent Squallaci. If i was them i would be insulted
You don’t half talk a load of bollocks mate.
what regular full internationals like gervinho? hardly the same as letting go u21′s that cant impress in leagues one and two. even santos has what 20 odd caps for Brazil, things that players like watt will only dream about
No matter how many caps they recieve they are both terrible footballers particularly santos
I just don’t understand why players seek regular play time in championship and league 1 when there is bundesliga, belgian league, and holland. Bundesliga would be perfect for many.
They might not be getting offers from those leagues for one. There is so much talent coming out of Germany and Belgium right now and Holland has been a constant production line of youth for decades, why would any of the clubs there take a look at Arsenal’s cast offs when they can pick up better rejects right on their doorstep?
And even if the offers were made, there’s a lot more money in England. I’m sure you can earn more at a Championship club than most Belgian and Dutch first division sides. Why would they leave England and the life they have here to earn less abroad?
game time and further development maybe? But you are right they probably stay for the money and friends.
It would definitely be good for their development, I agree. I just can’t see many of these English kids being willing to leave their family and friends and earn less to do it, which is understandable. They’re quite happy as they are making a very good living in the C’ship/L1 doing what they love so they don’t have the hunger to go abroad like young guys from Africa, South America, Eastern Europe, etc.
where they go on loan also depends on their work permit and visa conditions. for example Ryo cannot spend more than 90 days per year outside of the UK as he could spoil his chances of obtaining a settlement visa and British Passport. Whereas Campbell and Wellington have yet to receive their uk working visas. the european born players would not have such limitations and the uk born players, well i am afraid they are just typical of many brits, who tend to ignore that there is more than just the UK. Its a culture thing, i have pals that wont even go for a drink in a pub a few miles down the road as its not their local. as for taking a train into or out of london on a frday or saturday night well u would think u was asking them to emigrate.
i think zak ansah and kyle ebecilio will also be leaving this summer