Kelechi Nwakali is joining Arsenal this summer, and has been given the squad number previously held by Carl Jenkinson.
The new Nigerian signing played a key role in helping his his Under-17 international side to win the World Cup, and was nominated the most valuable player of the tournament, previously won by Kelechi Nwakali, Toni Kross and former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.
He has since agreed to join our club this summer, and is reported to be taking the number 25 shirt, which belonged to Nwanku Kanu previously, but was being held by Carl Jenkinson last season.
The English right-back was sent out on loan to West Ham in July 2014, and has not featured for our side since. His spell last season was cut short by an injury, and he is expected to be fit by the start of the new campaign, but with Mathieu Debuchy, Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin also on the books, there is limited chance of making his mark at Arsenal any longer.
Jenkinson signed a new five-year contract with the club before joining the Hammers on a year-long loan last summer, but I cant see how he could possibly make his way into Arsene Wenger’s first-team plans with the likes of Bellerin in the side.
The Spaniard won a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for last season, and will surely hold onto the role for the coming years.
Despite the unlikelihood of playing regularly for Arsenal, he recently tweeted about his want to play for us again, but for now we will have to see what will happen when pre-season begins.
Is Jenkinson worthy of being Bellerin’s back-up? Do you expect him to be given a new shirt number or do we expect him to leave in the close season?