Arsenal are about to lose one of their young defenders, Krystian Bielik to EFL Championship side, Birmingham City after his contract comes to an end after this season. The 20-year-old is currently serving a spell out on loan to Sky Bet League One side, Walsall. The 19-year-old spent three months on the sidelines after undergoing shoulder surgery in September, which eventually ended his loan move in the 2017 summer window.
When asked about his move to other clubs, he was quoted, “There was interest from several clubs, but the injury closed many doors. “I wanted to play in a first team in England. I would go to the Championship but, because of the injury, the clubs did not want to risk me. The next day [after the injury] I learned that I am leaving for a loan, I could choose between two major clubs from the Championship – Norwich or Nottingham. Well, I could not, because it turned out that the shoulder had to be operated. I got to League One and I’m glad that we managed to find a club in the senior football program by the end of the season. People think what they want. This league is as hard as the Championship. I want to play in the Championship. I’d love to go back to Birmingham. I would feel best there. I would not need acclimatisation. I know the club, players, coaching staff.
Bielik arrived at the Emirates on 21 January from Legia Warsaw for £2.5m. At just the age of 17, he was pegged to be one of the future stars in the Arsenal lineup. But his development has not gone according to the plans of Arsene Wenger who is currently witnessing the defensive struggles of his first team.
Bielik found a home at Saint Andrews’ featuring heavily for the side in the second half of the 2017-18 season. He partnered with Ryan Shotton in the centre-half role and helped the Blues avoid relegation to the League One.
Now Birmingham are in a similar relegation battle and Steve Cotterill is struggling to find a run of wins. They just lost 2-0 to a promotion chasing Aston Villa last weekend and were dealt a huge blow after their first choice right-back, Jonathan Grounds went down to a knee injury for the rest of the season.
Bielik is still young and has picked up a lot of experience in the second division. If the 21-year-old can seal a deal to the Championship with a team like Birmingham City, it might help him to establish himself as a first-team player and gain some much needed first team exposure so as to enhance his confidence in the near future.
