All things considered, Joel Campbell has had a disappointing season thus far at Sporting.
Despite showing flashes of individual brilliance which prompted interest from the Portuguese side, he has been too inconsistent to retain a regular starting spot.
Injuries and a lack of form have seen regular minutes hard to come by in recent months. As a result, it’s no surprise the Costa Rican’s future is in serious doubt.
In terms of goal contribution, he has only netted three and created four assists in Liga NOS this season. Despite having a reputation for his workrate, he’s only completed the full 90 on four occasions – suggesting he isn’t improving defensively.
So, what does the future hold for Campbell?
The winger, 24, will have a year left to run on his existing Arsenal contract this summer. Reports in December suggested Sporting would be interested in completing a permanent move, for a rumoured€10-15m.
Arsenal’s have good attacking depth at the club and this forced Campbell to search for regular minutes elsewhere. It’s unlikely, therefore, that he’d feature in anything more than a sporadic role next season – and we already have Lucas for that.
It’s possible, given his eagerness to pla,y that Campbell could leave in the summer if the right offer is made. There will be a few interested clubs tracking his progress but it’s important he improves.