#3 Carl Jenkinson
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Just two seasons ago, Carl Jenkinson was a perfect example of how a loan move can help a player restore his credentials as a player to look out for. Jenkinson had been an exemplary performer for West Ham United during the 2014-15 season and followed it up with another good performance in the 2015-16 season until he was forced out of the season due to a knee injury.
After spending significant time on the medical table, it was only in March that he began training again with the Arsenal squad. Given the timeline, we believe Jenkinson had enough time to assess his options at the club. Hector Bellerin had already established himself as the club’s number one right-back and even stars like Mathieu Debuchy were forced to look for options elsewhere. That should have served as a stern reminder to Jenkinson as to where he actually featured in the pecking order.
His decision to stay at the club has not entirely gone as per plan as he has played just 408 minutes of first team football. Given the speculation around Bellerin’s future, it would have helped Jenkinson if he was playing regularly. That would have ensured a return to the first team. However, at the moment, should Bellerin decide to move away, Arsenal are likely to go into the market for a new right-back and it is unlikely that the likes of Jenkinson will be afforded regular first team opportunities.
