There was a time, in not-so-distant past, when Arsenal lacked bodies at the back and had to employ personnel in their defence who were far below the yardsticks needed to put on the Arsenal shirt. The tides of time have been taking strides in favour of the North London based club ever since the financial shackles have loosened up and today, they have an abundance of resources at their disposal to meet their defensive needs.
Ever since the rise of Hector Bellerín at the right-back slot for the Gunners, Arsène Wenger has overlooked the other deputies available for this position, thus putting their employability in serious jeopardy. Carl Jenkinson, one of Arsenal’s underperforming members of their ‘British Core’, has shadows cast over his Arsenal career. His days at the Emirates Stadium are severely numbered now and the January transfer window might be used to ship him elsewhere.
Crystal Palace are believed to be the frontrunners to lure the Englishman to the Selhurst Park in the January transfer window. Sam Allardyce has been entrusted the responsibility by the Eagles to put them out of the clutches of the relegation zone and to meet the needs, he is aiming to bring Jenkinson to his side. The 24-year-old had worked under the tutelage of Allardyce last season at West Ham United after he was signed on loan from Arsenal for 2014-15 season and impressed in patches.
It is hard to argue on the perception that Jenkinson is unlikely to get a nod by Wenger after a horrendous display in his only league outing in Arsenal’s draw against Manchester United. On the other hand, Crystal Palace are flirting dangerously with the relegation zone and their penetrable and leaky defence has not been any great deal of help to pull them out of the clutches of helplessness. Frankly speaking, the standards at Arsenal are quite high now, where Jenkinson fails to fit the bill indeed.
Keeping the emotional connections aside, a switch to a relatively less demanding side like Crystal Palace can help Jenkinson in resurrecting his career. The former Charlton Athletic defender has failed in the Arsenal shirt time and again, succumbing to the mediocrity more often than not. Prior to the ongoing season, he has had two decent loan spells at West Ham United which gives testamentary evidence that Crystal Palace can really benefit from the youngster if they successfully lure him to their ranks for the upcoming tighter and nervy fixtures of the second half of 2016-17 campaign.
