Several other young players at the club will be impacted by Arsenal’s decision to let Ben Cottrell go on a permanent transfer before the summer transfer window shuts.
The midfielder, who made his first-team debut for the Gunners in December 2020 when he came off the bench in the 4-2 victory over Dundalk in the Europa League group stages, has agreed to join NS Mura, the club’s official website revealed on Tuesday afternoon.
A release reads, “Ben Cottrell has joined Slovenian team NS Mura in a permanent transfer.” “The 21-year-old joined our program in 2010 when he was eight years old and has since been an important contributor at the young level. Ben played for our under-21s in 13 games last year, making three goals and two assists. Ben’s assistance is appreciated, and we wish him luck with NS Mura.
![Arsenal's Big Reveal: Permanent Transfer Confirmed and Five More Moves Locked In 2 Ben Cottrell](https://i0.wp.com/pbs.twimg.com/media/Eo6G9syW8Ac0xYM.jpg?resize=1200%2C794&ssl=1)
All things considered, Cottrell’s departure occurred at the perfect time, especially since he wouldn’t have been able to be classified as a U21 player alongside Karl Hein and Marquinhos because he was born before January 1, 2002, making him a senior player under Premier League squad rules had he stayed.
Having stated that, a decision needs to be taken regarding the other five non-first-team players at the Emirates Stadium who are in Cottrell’s situation: James Hillson, Omar Rekik, Ryan Alebiosu, Tim Akinola, and Tyreece John-Jules.
Due to their respective birth dates, they too will be classed as senior players when Arteta is permitted to name Arsenal’s 25-man Premier League squad after the summer transfer window closes on September 1. But with 33 eligible senior players ahead of them at the moment an exit looks more likely.
John-Jules has even admitted he’s open to a long-term move: “I’ve got one year left on my contract at Arsenal,” he revealed in May on The Beautiful Game podcast. “I’ve had five loans so far, and with each one, you feel further away from the first team,” I said. Whether I stay, leave on a permanent basis, or move out on loan, conversations will eventually need to take place.
“I just want to make a permanent move, whether it’s to sign a new contract with Arsenal or to move somewhere else. Instead of jumping from loan to loan, I think it’s time to settle down, just concentrate, and chill. Traveling to all these sites is challenging and exhausting. It would be best to settle down and concentrate on one team, whether it is Arsenal or another. All ears, please. I’m interested in hearing all viewpoints, and I’ll choose what’s best for me.
Rekik, meanwhile, definitely needs to be playing regularly throughout the 2023–24 season if he wants to join the Tunisia squad for the Africa Cup of Nations competition that takes place at the beginning of next year, following two loan periods with Sparta Rotterdam and Wigan Athletic last season.
Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, and Declan Rice are the six new players Arteta is planning to add to Arsenal’s Premier League roster. This suggests that there isn’t room for even one of the aforementioned young players, let alone all five.
This effectively “confirms” that Hillson, Rekik, Alebiosu, Akinola, and John-Jules will be loaned out or, like Cottrell, permanently sold before deadline day; otherwise, they will be forced to play for the U21s for at least the first half of the new season, which could halt their individual development.