Krystian Bielik joins Derby County

[Santi]

Only seen 2 games of him at CB tbh before the Lens friendly so hard to judge but he looked shocking in the first game and ok in the second.

[ESR10]

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will give youngster Krystian Bielik the chance to break into the first-team this season after converting him into a centre-back.

Bielik joined the Gunners in a £2m deal from Legia Warsaw in January 2015 but has made just one appearance as a substitute in the League Cup.

The 18-year-old arrived as a holding midfielder but Wenger sees his future as a centre-back and he impressed in the position as Arsenal beat an MLS All-Stars team in San Jose this week.

Ahead of their next friendly against Chivas Guadalajara in Los Angeles, Wenger confirmed Bielek will be given the chance to stake a claim but, if he cannot cut it, he will be sent out on loan in January.

"Bielek has all the qualities and ingredients to be a top level centre-back," the Frenchman said.

"The one thing he is missing is the experience in this position because he came to us as a central midfielder, but I converted him into a centre-back because I felt he can play the type of football we want to play as a centre-back.

"Many times this is a position for experienced players because you pay for every mistake with a goal in this position, in the Premier League.

"What I have try to do with him this season is to work on his positional play and improve him, and give him some games. If in December, he is not ready, we will try and get him to play somewhere."

Arsenal will be without the experienced Per Mertesacker until at least the New Year, Wenger also confirmed, and Sky Germany understand they are in talks to sign Valencia centre-back Shkodran Mustafi as they look to strengthen their back-four.

But Wenger also says he has an eye on his other young central defenders, including Rob Holding, who recently signed from Bolton, and Calum Chambers.

He said: "We have three young players who compete for the position; Holding, who has been very impressive, Bielik and Chambers. I will have to make a decision on who is the closest to that position.

"I had Per on the phone two days after his surgery. He is highly motivated to come back strongly. He will be out for a few months. Is it three or four? I don't know. Certainly I don't count that Per will be back before the end of the year.

"We will miss him. He is a leader on and off the pitch. He is very well respected in the dressing room and gets everybody focussed on targets. We lose a heavyweight in our dressing room."

On the one hand, he says , he'll get an experienced defender. On the other hand, he says we have three impressing young players.
I think, he's not intending to buy a CB. If it goes well with one of the youngsters, it's a win-win situation. Spared the money.
If our defense was shit, he'll refer to these statements, that he was looking for an experienced CB, but no one was available. I hope, I'm wrong.

[Arsenal Tone]

He's looked better than chambers and holding but we still need a CB ffs

[Pudpop]

Eh he'll play COC. Wenger never been a fan of teenage CBs

[Santi]

should loan him out to play CB in a proper team not the U21's or 3 apps from our bench

[Jedi]

f**k off Wenger... this guy is too talented to be at centre back. He is so good on the ball for his size and age and he ran the midfield at Legia, easily their best player, but f**k that, lets put him at centre back where he can't utilise half of his ability and see if he comes good, f**k logic, right?

[Arsene Nose]

Bielik looks so much better with the first team than he does with the academy. I hope we find him a good loan. If he's going to play center back than imbedding him with a championship side for a season may not be a bad thing. He'd get used to the physical side of things better.

[KG3]

should loan him out to play CB in a proper team not the U21's or 3 apps from our bench

[DarkskinJahmane]

f**k off Wenger... this guy is too talented to be at centre back. He is so good on the ball for his size and age and he ran the midfield at Legia, easily their best player, but f**k that, lets put him at centre back where he can't utilise half of his ability and see if he comes good, f**k logic, right?

Get w the times...this is a brilliant move...look at boateng/hummels/pique on the ball... having a ball playing cb is so valuable in the modern game

[DarkskinJahmane]

Loan him abroad...enough w that get used to the physical side of things nonsense...how abt actually learning the game?

He'll be asked to just lump it fwd and hope for the best... send him to Holland or something...he needs a loan this yr and nxt

[Arsenal Tone]

http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/int ... ne-says-so

^ good read

[KG3]

Looks calm and reassured on the ball which sometimes causes him to lose possession, but so far he's impressed me the most between him, Holding and Chambers.

[Arsenal Tone]

A loan spell somewhere where he'll get a bollocking for pissing around with the ball on the edge of the penalty area and he'll be a very good player imo.

[gooney]

One season in Holland will do him well. I dont think a Championship club would trust him. Look at holding.....its very important young players get first team football.

[Arsenal~Fanatic]

Looked decent but needs to stop giving away cheaply. He won't go unpunished if does it in the Premiership