Arsenal

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: 'Sink or swim time for Joel Campbell'

By Shane Callaghan, Reporter | 31 October 2015

Arsene Wenger warns that the next few months could make or break Joel Campbell's Arsenal career as injuries look poised to propel him into the spotlight.

Arsene Wenger has warned winger Joel Campbell that it is sink or swim time for him at Arsenal as he looks poised for an extended spell in the first team.

The Costa Rican could start Saturday's trip to Swansea City as injuries to Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have left Wenger short on right-wing options, with the duo both out for at least a month.

The 23-year-old, in his second season with Arsenal's first team, having initially signed in 2011, struggled for influence in Tuesday's 3-0 League Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

Nevertheless, Wenger feels that Campbell can be "very important" for the North Londoners - who sit level on points with top-of-the-Premier League Manchester City - over the coming months.

"I have been very impressed with him, his attitude is outstanding," he is quoted as saying by The Mirror. "He can be a big help for us. In the coming two to three months he can be very important.

"I didn't want to send him out on loan again. I wanted to keep him here. He has been on loan two or three times and that it is now or never for him with us.

"For him, as well, you belong to a club. But if you go out on loan a few times, after that you don't know any more if you belong to the club or not."

Campbell has never scored a competitive goal for Arsenal.