Loan update: Two players go out, one still waiting to go

January is the time that clubs tend to assess, or re-evaluate, their needs, especially around the fringes and the youth corps. That’s not to say there are no big moves ever, of course, but January tends to be a pruning rather than a full-on replanting, if you will. And that generally means a lot of players find new homes for a season, as their clubs send them out on loan for further development or increased playing time, or both.

And this first half of January sees Arsenal begin that pruning in earnest. We found out today that the club is making two loan moves, moves which see Emile Smith Rowe loaned to Huddersfield Town for the remainder of the season, and at the same time, Tyrese John-Jules is headed to Lincoln City, which was a surprise to me, as I didn’t realize that a small Oregon beach town most widely known for having a casino would be a city that had a Championship team. Or maybe I’m misreading something.

Still uncertain, however, is the future of Eddie Nketiah. He was recalled from Leeds after not getting enough playing time there, and if he plays for Arsenal at this point he can’t be loaned anywhere (rules state that while a player can be registered for up to three clubs a season, they can only play for two), so look for him to be loaned out before the end of the month as well.

At any rate, as with most loans, these are good moves for the players - they’ll get the aforementioned more playing time and experience, and hopefully either come back to the club ready to compete for a first team place or be sold for a nice tidy little profit.