La Liga side Valencia are reportedly interested in bringing Arsenal forward Joel Campbell to Spain.
Valencia are reportedly preparing a bid for Costa Rica international Joel Campbell. The La Liga side are reportedly interested in the 24-year-old and have submitted an enquiry to the Gunners in an attempt to sign the forward.
Joel Campbell joined Arsenal in August, 2011 from Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa but had to be immediately loaned out to French side FC Lorient after a failed work permit application to enable him to play in England. The wide forward finally received his permit in 2013 but has since failed to hold down his place in the Arsenal XI. The 24-year-old has spent most of his 5-year-stay at the club out on loan to other leagues.
A season at FC Lorient was followed by a season long loan to Real Betis with the Costa Rican performing decently in both the leagues. His breakout season, though, came while on loan to Greek club Olympiacos, where the forward scored 8 goals in the league along with the second in a historic 2-0 win against Premier League heavyweights Manchester United in the first leg of the Champions League’s Round of 16 tie.
The stellar season was followed by an even more impressive display in a historic run by his nation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup which saw Costa Rica make it to the Quarter Finals. These performances compelled Arsene Wenger to listen to the fans as he declared the 24-year-old to be a part of his plans. The forward, though, was sparingly used and was mostly restricted to cameo appearances off the bench.
Campbell was then loaned out in January, 2015 in search of competitive first-team football to La Liga side Villareal where he put in some great performances. The last season was the first one where he featured regularly for the Londoners. He featured in 30 games in all competitions for Arsenal but was mostly used as a backup or cover for injured players at the club.
The report by Spanish newspaper Estadio Deportivo now claims that Valencia want to bring the pacey forward back to La Liga with manager Paco Ayestaran looking to bolster attacking options ahead of the coming season. The report also states that Arsenal are open to exploring the options of the player leaving on loan or on a permanent basis. The report goes on to state that the La Liga outfit might face competition from AC Milan, who could revive their interest in the player.
At 24, Joel Campbell would be looking for guaranteed first-team football to further his growth and establish himself as a quality player in Europe. There seems to be no guarantee of first-team playing time from Arsenal with Arsene Wenger looking to add another striker to the squad and this could be the window where the Costa Rican bids adieu to the Emirates on a permanent basis.
