As Young Guns first revealed, Ergotelis forward Nikos Karelis has been on trial with Arsenal’s Under 16 side this week, as they flew to Italy and won the Atalanta Tournament thanks to two goals from the 16 year old.
Having arrived in London yesterday, Karelis will now join training tomorrow and could even be assessed by Arsene Wenger and his staff before a final decision is made on his future next week. Having started in the earlier fixtures as a forward, he was used more as a left winger in the final stages of the tournament and it seems that’s the position where his long term future lies.
Nikos is a giant, strong, powerful player, blessed with awesome technique and shooting ability, but his physical condition left alot of to be desired. With the exciting crop of young English talent coming through Liam Brady and David Court could decide against his permanent signing.
Sources close to Young Guns suggests that David Court who ran the rule over the player, will not be making a firm offer for the starlet but he will sit down with the coaching staff and discuss the potential signing.
Karelis speaking to a Greek news agency said, spoke shortly after touching down he heaped praise on his team mates and confirmed he is patiently waiting to hear about the outcome.
“It was a tremendous experience for me playing at such a high level of football and with some footballers who will be the stars of the future”
“I haven’t been told anything about the outcome of my trial but Arsenal will speak to my parents and my club about it soon”.
Below you can see some of the pictures from the competition, including shots of Luke Freeman collecting his top scorer trophy, Jack Wilshere with his player of the tournament award, and action shots.
Article By – J.Sanderson
he’s 16 years old. If he’s good, then get him fit.
Great info man! Great to see that Niko gave a good perfomance with Luke top scorer and Jack as player of the tournament! Says a lot about our youth! Hopefully they can develop even further and be here long term for the club. Good luck to Niko!
Its not always about buying loads of players because the are good.
We have a large squad, and unless Nikos can offer something exceptional then he will not be signed.
Steve Bould said in the Everton programme that Jack Wilshere has finished the season training full time with the first team. Do you have any info on how he has got in? I guess he’ll be going with the first team for pre-season with maybe Fran, Gibbs and Barazite?
If David Court is against signing him then it must be more than physical fitness involved. That is the easy bit from a coaches point of view. Technique, work ethic and character are other matters. I suggest it is something to do with the latter three issues?.
i think this chap karelis deserves a pat on the back! jumps of a plane, straight into an arsenal shirt and bangs in a couple of goals! we need physical players blessed with fine techniqe for the premier league. i get the feeling u dont like him j but could u b wrong!
I do like him mate, but my sources infom me that David Court did not fancy bringing him permantley, but lets wait and see.
Like JS says, Arsenal do not bring in every good teenager there is. If we are to bring in a 16 year old and relocate him from thousand miles away, then he must be something special. That is why the foreign players are much more likely to make it at Arsenal. We can bring in local players if they just have a slight chance of making it, a foreigner must be something special to bring in.
yep, well said Stone.
Its not just a case of sticking him on a plane and making him play for us, there is visa’s housing, schooling all to setup plus his family situation, remember he is just a boy
I think the poster who mentioned jumping off a plane straight into an Arsenal shirt, was talking about the trial, because it sounds like that is pretty much what he did, so he must have something about him. I guess he could come for another trial before a final decision is made.
It’s great news that we had the top scorer and the best player of the tournament. Arsenal’s opponents were the youth sides of other top teams. Was that reflected in the standard of the competition?
well in that case this “boy” has done good. lets not forget the pressure he must have been under to perform. this all sounded very sudden, his arrival for the trial; yet he seem’s to have made an impression. i accept that the coaches know more than me and frankly i haven’t seen him kick a ball yet, but u have hyped him J, so dont blame us for getting a little over enthusiastic!
ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS COVERAGE SANDERSON. made my day – keep it up!
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where did you find these pictures?
you have more?
need more pics man