Author: Staff Writer

Huddersfield Town are in talks with Arsenal over extending Benik Afobe’s loan spell. The 17-year-old’s stint with The Terriers expired today, but manager Lee Clark is keen to keep the striker in Yorkshire.

Afobe has enjoyed a mixed time with Huddersfield, having failed to score in nine appearances in League One. However, the England Under 19 international has found goals elsewhere, bagging strikes in both the FA and Carling Cups. A knee injury picked up in training last week has curtailed his time with Town, but both Clarke and Benik are open to an extension.

The powerful front-man has previously admitted his frustration at the lack of playing time with Huddersfield, especially over the busy Christmas period. However, he later retracted the statement and confirmed his desire to continue to fight for the team, as the Yorkshire outfit push for promotion from League One.

It’s not yet clear whether Arsenal would allow Benik to spend the rest of the season with Huddersfield, but the striker will continue to be part of the Gunners FA Youth Cup side regardless.

Elsewhere, Hull City have re-signed Vito Mannone on loan until the end of the season, although he will not play for The Tigers until February due to injury. Cedric Evina also extended his spell with Oldham Athletic today, agreeing to stay for at least another month, on a youth loan.

Young Guns is delighted to announce the latest way to catch our updates, with our brand new application for the iPhone and iPod. You can download the app, free of charge, from the app store from today.

The first version of the application features all the latest articles delivered in a stylish list format, for easy navigation and usage. Plans are afoot for further upgrades, including pages and extra content. Interest in the app has been huge, and should it take off as planned, a second paid version with exclusive add on’s for the iPad will also go live.

The technical content is being handled by the brilliant Simon Hume, life long Gooner and owner of Milk Bar Studios. You can follow Simon and Milk Bar Studios on Twitter for other releases, and contact them here if you need to report crashes or other problems.

You can download the application direct from the app store here.

Bolton Wanderers have made an official offer to Arsenal to take striker Carlos Vela on loan. Manager Owen Coyle spoke of his desire to take the Mexican to the Reebok earlier in the week, but only made the bid on Wednesday.

Arsène Wenger has already confirmed that the Gunners have received mass interest in Vela, after the Frenchman announced on Friday he would listen to loan offers for the player. Bolton were one of the first clubs to openly declare their interest, and are thought to be the only Premier League side who have made a bid.

Valencia and Espanyol are also said to be interested, but would prefer a cash deal. Young Guns reported on Friday that Arsenal are only interested in a loan, as Carlos is part of the long term future at the club. Wenger confirmed this two days later. Vela’s agent also admitted a return to La Liga is out of the question, due to ‘economic reasons’.

The key to Bolton signing the 21-year-old is found in the content of their bid. Arsenal were happy to do business with Jack Wilshere last season, because Coyle promised Wilshere regular playing time. With forwards Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander in good form this term, it’s unlikely he could offer the same assurances, despite admitting he wants to rotate his side in the second half of the season and only being able to name four substitutes in recent games.

However, Wenger’s positive relationship with Coyle, formed after the excellent treatment of Jack, could sway the balance.

Sanchez Watt will now be able to play against Arsenal for loan club Leeds United at the weekend, after being given permission to feature. Watt was told earlier in the week he was ineligible, but the decision has been back tracked.

A statement on Leeds United’s website this afternoon confirmed that, despite originally being informed the loan winger would not be able to feature, he is now able to play. The Yorkshire club did not provide a reason as to why the 20-year-old is now eligible.

Watt used his Twitter page to tell followers he would not be able to play earlier in the week, but spoke of his joy at the decision being over turned this afternoon. He admitted the game will be ‘the biggest of his career’. Watt is currently recovering from stitches in his head, needed after receiving a nasty blow during last nights defeat to Cardiff City.

Watt is expected to be part of the squad, however.

Welcome to this New Year Day special Loanees Watch – Young Guns’ analysis, reports and updates on the progress of the young starlets currently plying their trade away from the Emirates Stadium. You can read all the latest reports below.

Aaron Ramsey played 35 minutes in his final game for Nottingham Forest against Barnsley. Ramsey struggled to get involved but did play some neat passes as Forest drew 2-2 despite being 2-0 down when Aaron came on.

Benik Afobe played 73 minutes for Huddersfield Town as they drew 2-2 with Tom Cruise’s Carlisle United. Afobe won the free-kick which led to the opening goal, and otherwise turned in another good shift on the left of a front three.

Sanchez Watt played the final 16 minutes for Leeds United as they drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough.

Kyle Bartley missed Sheffield United’s defeat to Burnley due to suspension.

In the lower leagues, Mark Randall came off the bench to play 26 minutes for Rotherham United. He managed to get on the score sheet, grabbing the fifth of The Millers five goals. Cedric Evina played 25 minutes for Oldham Athletic, and Gavin Hoyte played the full 90 minutes for Lincoln City against Bradford.

Elsewhere, Best Sportsbook Bonus‘ can be hard to find. Vito Mannone has returned to Arsenal early after suffering a thigh injury during last weeks draw with Reading. Hull City have moved to sign Brad Guzan from Aston Villa as replacement, so there is no opportunity for Mannone to return.

Ryo Miyaichi will fly to London on Monday after his Chukyo High School team were beaten 4-2 by Kumiyama High School in the opening game of the All-Japan High School Tournament.

Miyaichi did sign off in style, however, bagging a goal and assist as Chukyo took a well deserved 2-1 lead into the half time break. They couldn’t stave off a Kumiyama come back, though, and went down 4-2. You can watch video highlights of Ryo’s goal and assist here.

Welcome to January transfer deadline day 2011. With Arsenal are still in the market for new players, including Southampton’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and with some potential outs on the cards, it promises to be a fantastic final day of the window.

You can follow live real time updates right here on Young Guns brought to you by two of the most well informed Arsenal writers around. Young Guns editor Jamie Sanderson, and editor of The Goon Blog, Martin Cafferty. The duo ran a similar service in the summer, where they exclusively announced the signing of Ryo Miyaichi.

Feel free to get in touch with the guys by leaving a comment in the live updates section. They’ll publish the best and hope to answer all your questions. Alternatively you can tweet Jamie at @YoungGunsBlog and Martin at @TheGoonBlog. Enjoy.

January Transfer Window 2011: Live Blog

You can also follow Young Guns on our Twitter and Facebook pages, and with our free application for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Championship loanees Vito Mannone and Aaron Ramsey are expected to learn the fate of their short term future in the next few days, as Arsenal make decisions on their loan status.

Mannone and Ramsey’s deals with Hull City and Nottingham Forest expire in January, and both clubs have already indicated they want to seal extensions until the end of the season. Arsène Wenger will have tough choices to make, as he balances the numbers and prepares his squad for the ‘business’ end of the campaign.

Ramsey made his first start for Forest on Wednesday night, playing an hour in a 5-2 win over Derby County. However, he has struggled for minutes due to postponements and manager Billy Davies’ concerns over pitches and how the Welshmen might react. The loan deal was fitness based, and with Aaron looking in very good shape, any further time spent on loan would be purley development related.

Mannone has had a fruitful time with Hull City, capping off what has been a fantastic spell with a penalty save from Reading’s Shane Long at the weekend. Vito has continued his 100% league record, having never been on the losing side with Arsenal or Hull. A selection of great stops and clean sheets have left The Tigers desperate to hang on to the Italian.

Wenger’s willingness to sanction that could depend on the future of fellow ‘keeper Manuel Almunia, who has been made available for transfer. Arsenal are not optimistic they can offload Almunia, due to his high wages, so may have to wait until the summer. It would mean Vito could stay with Hull, and return then to battle to be first choice.

News on the deals is expected shortly.

Elsewhere, Henri Lansbury’s hamstring injury sustained while on loan with Norwich City appears to have curtailed his loan spell. Manager Paul Lambert confirmed today that Henri is unlikely to play again for Norwich, as his deal expires in January, and talk of a Premier League loan is afoot.

Håvard Nordtveit has completed his transfer to Borussia Mönchengladbach. Nordtveit has signed a two and a half year deal, with reports that Arsenal have waved any fee, and have instead included a sell on fee in the deal. It would mean that if Mönchengladbach sell the Norwegian, a portion of the money would go back to the Gunners.

Håvard thanked Wenger for the opportunity to play for Arsenal, telling the German media that the Frenchman is ‘more than a coach, more a football professor’. He will go straight into the Borussia team where he will feature as a centre back.

Finally, Wenger also spoke about Emmanuel Frimpong on Thursday, saying he is a month away from a return to training with the football.

Arsenal new boy Ryo Miyaichi has been clocked running 100 metres in a time of 10.84 second, during training with Chukyo High School. The time is only fractionally slower than that of Theo Walcott, who has been recorded covering the distance in just 10.30 seconds.

Miyaichi lists pace and high speed dribbling as his best assets, and with a time of 10.84, he will be one of the quickest players in the country. That, combined with his quick feet and skills, make the 18-year-old a difficult man to mark.

The world record for 100 metres is claimed by Usain Bolt, with a time of 9.58. Walcott and Miyaichi have both been offered the opportunity to move away from football and go into professional sprinting, but turned it down at a young age. The two wingers also boast quicker times than the likes of Thierry Henry, who while there is no official confirmed 100 metre time, is thought to have been around the 11 second mark.

Miyaichi will link up with Arsenal in January.

Håvard Nordtveit has arrived at Borussia Mönchengladbach’s training ground to complete a medical. The Norwegian centre back has spent the last few days in Germany thrashing out a contract, and is now expected to seal the deal tomorrow.

Arsenal accepted an offer from Mönchengladbach two weeks ago, as Young Guns exclusively revealed. Håvard has since been in behind closed doors talks with the Bundesliga outfit. However, he drove into a snow covered Borussia Park this morning, where he is currently undertaking a medical and sorting out the final details of his move.

Borussia manager Michael Frontzeck was there to greet Nordtveit, and gave a brief comment to the German press to update them on the situation.

“While it is not yet definitive that he’s signed, we’re nearly there. I hope that tomorrow everything is resolved”.

Arsenal are expected to receive a nominal fee, as the 20-year-old is out of contract in the summer. Mönchengladbach are now waiting on final signatures from the player and officials in London, with the expectation that Nordtveit will fly out to Spain to be with his new team mates later in the week.