Could Glen Kamara return to the Emirates this summer?

Glen Kamara

Could Glen Kamara make a return to the Emirates this summer? 

Anyone who has put the miserable 3-0 League Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday in 2015 to the back of their minds - which would be fair enough - may be unaware that Glen Kamara had played for Arsenal.

An hour at Hillsborough turned out to be the only minutes the midfielder spent on the field for the Gunners and when he left to join Dundee in 2017, following loan spells at Colchester and Southend, it looked as though he would be no great loss.

Four years on, however, he is the beating heart of a Rangers team who have blitzed the Scottish Premiership and impressed in Europe, leading to rumours linking the Finland international with a return to the Emirates.

Arsenal's midfield could certainly do with reinforcements this summer but should the shopping list include a player deemed not good enough earlier in his career?

DON'T LET THE LEAGUE PUT YOU OFF

It's easy to mock the Scottish Premier League but the recent influx of players who have moved south of the border show it should not be written off.

Arsenal need to look no further than Kieran Tierney for an example of someone who has taken the increase in quality in his stride while Andy Robertson and John McGinn have also adapted seamlessly.

Rangers fans have suggested on social media that it should take a similar fee to the £25m which prised Tierney away from Celtic should Arsenal show concrete interest in Kamara, who is under contract until 2023.

It is tempting to wonder if superior alternatives are available for that sort of money but if Arsenal can negotiate a lower price, perhaps including loaning some youngsters the other way, it might be a move worth pursuing.

ARSENAL FANATIC

Kamara moved to London from Finland with his family when he was 12 and having impressed in Southend's youth teams, made the switch to Arsenal in 2012.

The Athletic reported his nerves upon signing, with Southend's academy manager Ricky Duncan saying: "He started having these palpitations and was panting. I was saying ‘what's the matter with you?!'"

Kamara gestured to the training ground canteen and responded breathlessly: "It's… Robin van Persie."

"He hadn't told me the whole time I had known him that he was an Arsenal fan, not even during the move," Duncan continued.

"I thought he was going to have a heart attack at one point but you could see the excitement on his face."

Of course, there is more to representing a team than being a fan - and being let go may have seen him lose some of his love for the club - but it's a reaction which will be relatable to all Arsenal supporters.

The chance to right the wrongs from his previous spell could well tug at the midfielder's heartstrings - as could the opportunity to impress in front of a truly global audience.

CHARACTER AND QUALITY

Kamara has shown his character in spades this week, giving his first media interviews since unwittingly finding himself at the centre of a racism storm against Slavia Prague, Arsenal's Europa League quarter-final opponents.

The midfielder alleged he was racially abused by Ondrej Kudela in the last 16 tie at Ibrox and has spoken eloquently about how he wishes he has walked off - as well as the dispiriting revelation that he is getting online abuse every day about the incident.

The 25-year-old has conducted himself admirably throughout and will no doubt hope to soon let his football again do the talking.

He has shone against the likes of Benfica, Porto and Galatasaray in Europa League duty and he is a multi-skilled midfield player who is comfortable both winning and retaining possession.

Kamara regularly and effortlessly controls games for Steven Gerrard's side and has been a key cog in the machine which is now dominating Scottish football once more.

It all depends on the price, of course, but Arsenal could do worse than offering their previously discarded player a second chance.

Popular posts from this blog

What have we learned from Arsenal's pre-season so far?

Image
  Arsenal – what have we learned from pre-season? By Jack Lacey-Hatton It only feels five minutes since Euro 2020, but incredibly we are just one week away from the new Premier League season starting. Arsenal will travel to newly promoted Brentford for a London derby in front of a noisy crowd next Friday night, not the easiest of starts to the new campaign. But what sort of shape are Mikel Arteta’s side in, going into what could be a defining season for the manager? We took a close look at what we have learnt from the pre-season period and what kind of shape the squad are in.   The new signings are ready to go It has been a mixed transfer window so far. Some fans would have expected more both leaving and arriving at the Emirates stadium over the summer. But positives can be taken - Ben White has arrived from Brighton for £50million, and highly-rated full back Nuno Tavares has come in from Benfica. Albert Sambi Lokonga completes the 2021 summer singings so far. Cruc...
Read more

Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves

Image
Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves By Jonny Bray It is hard to believe that Ruben Neves is still only 25-years-old.   It feels as if the Portuguese international has been tipped for big things for nearly a decade now.  With the midfielder out of contract in 2023, it appears his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers could be coming to an end.  Understandably, with a player like Neves on offer for a reduced price, clubs around Europe are queueing up to secure the international's signature.  So, after all this time, should Arsenal move for Ruben Neves now, or is it time for the Gunners to turn their attention to a new target?  What would he bring?  Arsenal do not have enough defensive midfielders.  Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka give Mikel Arteta plenty of midfield options going forward, but the Gunners have been found lacking when out of possession this season. Thomas Partey has been in and out of the side due to injuries, a fact that has not hel...
Read more

Where will Arsenal finish this season?

Image
Where will Arsenal finish this season? By Alec McQuarrie Arsenal have made steady improvement over the last few seasons under Mikel Arteta. After finishing 8th in his debut season, the Spaniard oversaw a five-point improvement in his first full campaign.  And last year an eight-point leap followed, which was unfortunately not enough to pip Tottenham to fourth place.  Cruelly, the 69 points accumulated would have been enough to seal Champions League qualification in the previous two seasons.  Looking at the trajectory over the Arteta era, it would be fair to assume a continued improvement this coming season.  After all, with five signings already secured this summer and Alexandre Lacazette the sole first-team player to depart, surely fourth place should be a bare minimum expectation.  Oleksandr Zinchenko offers much-needed cover at left-back and competition for central midfield.  Gabriel Jesus is a proven goalscorer and brings a tireless work-ethic to fulfil...
Read more