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Football

14th Aug 2018

Joel Campbell’s Arsenal loan limbo is finally coming to an end

Wayne Farry

Joel Campbell

Joel Campbell has been on loan for a lifetime

Since joining Arsenal in 2011, Costa Rica forward Joel Campbell has floated between the periphery of what used to be Arsene Wenger’s first team and loan spells to various European sides.

All in all, Campbell has made 23 appearances for Arsenal and – over the last six years – spent periods on loan at Real Betis, Olympiakos, Villarreal, Sporting Clube de Portugal, your hometown Sunday league team and your dad’s five-a-side outfit.

During that time the 26-year-old has made an astonishing 79 appearances for his country, but he has found it impossible to navigate his way into a starting place at the Emirates.

Recent reports had suggested that the forward was being linked with yet another loan spell away from the club, but his contractual situation at the club (he has just a year remaining on his Arsenal deal) appears to rule that out.

Lazio are said to have had a loan spell for the player rejected out of hand by the club, and told that Arsenal would only consider a permanent deal.

According to a report from Gianluca Di Marzio, that permanent deal may well have arrived, but from a different Italian side.

Frosinone, a team based south-east of Rome, were promoted to Serie A last season having finished third in Serie B last year. They have previously played one season in Serie (2015/16) but were relegated back to Serie B that same season.

The deal is said to have progressed significantly and could even be concluded within a number of hours.