Arsenal loaning Miguel Azeez out to Portsmouth this week may not have grabbed many headlines, but it could really reap some big rewards.
Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed the national headlines in the final days of the transfer window, and even Arsenal had other things going on.
Japanese star Takehiro Tomiyasu arrived from Bologna whilst Hector Bellerin has left for a loan return to Spain with Real Betis.
Azeez heading into League One with Portsmouth may have been overshadowed, but history suggests this could be a great decision from Edu.
The Brazilian is under huge pressure at Arsenal after a mixed transfer window, so he need something to work for him – and sending Azeez to Pompey could work.
For a start, Azeez needs minutes in men’s football. That isn’t going to come at Arsenal, and playing for a League One promotion contender gives him a great chance to thrive.
Outside of that, Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley played a key role in the development of current Arsenal first-team star Emile Smith Rowe.
Cowley took Smith Rowe on loan to Huddersfield in 2020, and the attacking midfielder thrived with two goals and three assists in 19 outings under Cowley.
That stint with the former Lincoln boss helped prime Smith Rowe for Premier League action, and Arsenal have gone back to Cowley to help develop Azeez.
Azeez himself has admitted that Smith Rowe has talked up Cowley’s ability as a coach, making the move to Fratton Park all that more appealing to Azeez.
He will have to impress on a regular basis to come back and have the impact Smith Rowe had last season, but by sending Azeez to Cowley, Edu may have just ensured that Arsenal have another Smith Rowe-like talent coming through for the future.
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