Why the Writing Is on the Wall for Joel Campbell at Arsenal

Joel Campbell seems destined to be one of Arsenal’s nearly men: a player who perennially threatened to break through into the first-team picture, without ever making a significant impact.

If things continue as they are, it’s difficult to see Campbell remaining at Arsenal beyond the January transfer window.

After three consecutive seasons out on loan, Campbell caught the eye at the World Cup with some sizzling displays. His pace, power and confident exuberant style made him appear a good fit for Arsenal’s attacking style.

Nevertheless, some fans were surprised to see him stay this summer. Campbell was linked with Portuguese outfit Benfica by Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail right up until deadline day. It’s clear Arsenal were open to the prospect of cashing in on the Costa Rican. 

However, any potential move was scuppered by the injury to Olivier Giroud. With the Frenchman sidelined for a number of months, Wenger opted to keep hold of Campbell and Lukas Podolski.

The decision to keep Campbell has arguably backfired. He’s barely contributed to Arsenal’s season, and his transfer value may actually have dropped a little as a consequence.

At present, Campbell has made just one start and three substitute cameos. He has only played 124 minutes in 2014/15. That’s not even a game and a half. 

He hasn’t played poorly when called upon. The problem for Campbell is that the queue ahead of him is packed with other international players.

Campbell can play either on the wing or as a central striker. Unfortunately, they’re the areas in which the Arsenal squad is currently well stocked. For him to get a start, he has to see off the likes of Podolski, Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and others.

The nail in the coffin of Campbell’s Arsenal career may have been the team sheet for the Premier League match with Burnley. Yaya Sanogo, recovered from a mysterious injury, was immediately named ahead of Campbell on the substitutes bench.

Despite not scoring a competitive Gunners goal in his 18 months with the club, Wenger clearly sees Sanogo as above Campbell in the pecking order. The Costa Rican didn’t even make the matchday squad.

The same thing happened for the match with Anderlecht, and it seems that for Campbell, it may have been the final straw. John Cross of the Daily Mirror reports: 

Joel Campbell is ready leave Arsenal in January after getting fed-up at a lack of first team chances.

World Cup star Campbell was furious after being axed from Arsenal’s first team squad for the games with Burnley and Anderlecht at the Emirates.

Campbell has left his team mates and management in no doubt that he is fed-up and angry with the latest snubs.

Campbell has a short fuse and has grown impatient and is desperate to play which could mean moving on.

If Campbell does ask for a move, it’s difficult to see Wenger putting up too much of a fight. Wenger is rarely reluctant to give a young player his head if he thinks he has the requisite quality. He watches Campbell every day in training, and he clearly doesn’t deem him worthy of regular football.

He’s undoubtedly a good talent, but playing for a Champions League club is a privilege reserved for an exceptional few.

Campbell and his representatives may now just be hoping they can still bank on Benfica’s interest come January.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and has been nominated as the best Established Football Blogger at the Football Blog Awards. Click here to vote for him.