The 2016-17 season is well underway. As always, a number of first-team stars leave the Emirates. Some permanently, some on loan.
This season is no different, with 4 high profile players out on loan in search of regular football.
Fresh Arsenal’s Floyd Konde has taken a look at how they will get on with their new clubs, and whether or not the loan switch will benefit their Gunners future in any way.
Wojciech Szczesny (AS Roma)
The Polish international first broke into the team from the academy in 2010. Szczesny, now 26, was tipped to become Arsenal’s no.1 for the following decade.
He even drew comparisons to David De Gea who is only 7 months his junior. However, things didn’t quite turn out the way many had hoped and it’s clear who the better goalkeeper is now.
Following his decline in form 2 seasons ago, he was subsequently dropped for the remainder of the 2014/15 campaign. He played in the FA Cup final but was loaned out to Roma that summer. Since then, Szczesny started 34 of Roma’s Serie A games and keeping 8 clean sheets.
Roma’s European form left much to be desired too, conceding 16 goals during the group stages, which included a 6-1 demolition to Barcelona. They just about progressed through to the last 16 before being eliminated by eventual champions Real Madrid.
The Pole returned to Italy for a second loan spell this summer and there were familiar weaknesses on show. Roma failed to qualify for Europe’s elite competition with defeat to Porto. One notable highlight was Szczesny’s inexplicable failed impression of Manuel Neuer; rushing so far out of his goal to try and halt a counter-attack, which only did more bad than good.
To summarise, Szczesny hasn’t done enough to convince the club and fans about his credentials. It remains to be seen if he retains a future with Arsenal. This season surely comes as a last chance to impress, though his chances remain bleak with Cech and Ospina at the club.