Arsenal have agreed a deal with a La Liga club for a midfielder.
It’s not as exciting as we might all hope. But it is one for the future. Jon Toral, who impressed at Birmingham on loan last season, is set to move to Granada on loan. The well-informed Kike Marin from El Confidencial confirmed the news on Twitter.
Jon Toral, gran promesa del #Arsenal jugará cedido en el #GranadaCF (on loan from Arsenal) https://t.co/HzP5701Ryn
— Kike Marin** (@Kike_Marin_) July 4, 2016
Before last seasons loan spell I think many Arsenal fans thought there was very little chance of Toral ever making it to the Arsenal first team, now there is a much different consensus. Arsenal fans have expectation about Toral. He’s a quality playmaker that can also score goals, and his height stands him in good stead for a career in England.
There’s not space in the Arsenal first team squad right now, but another good loan spell this season and the Spaniard may force his way into the first team picture.
He arrived at Arsenal at the same as Hector Bellerin. They are the same age but although Toral hasn’t yet made an impact for the senior side, it doesn’t mean he will not. Toral’s route to the first team is a lot tougher than Bellerin’s was. Hector was a bit fortunate due to Bacary Sagna’s departure and Mathieu Debuchy’s injury and then subsequent drop in form.
Toral has grafted in the lower leagues of English football and now he is being sent to Spain to refine his game. Much like Francis Coquelin, Toral seems to be learning a lot from his loan spells and a place in the first team squad for Arsenal for the 2017-18 campaign is certainly not beyond him.
We wish Jon all the best during his loan spell at Granada, and hope he comes back an even better player.