Author: Staff Writer

Turkish national team manager Guus Hiddink flew into London this week to hold talks with Arsenal’s Oğuzhan Özyakup. Hiddink is hoping to convince the midfielder to switch his international allegiance from Holland to Turkey.

Özyakup, who played in the Reserves’ 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Tuesday, has previously rejected suggestions he could represent Turkey, but he has left the door open after negotiations with Hiddink. The Turkish FA published a list of potential stars of the future during the week. The list included Chelsea’s Gokhan Tore and Portsmouth’s Nadir Ciftc, but Oğuzhan’s name was also there despite the fact he is the current captain of Holland’s Under 19’s.

Suggestions in the Turkish media claim Hiddink has drawn up a plan of action for Özyakup, who’s contract expires at the end of the season. The plan would see the midfielder move to Hiddink’s former outfit PSV in the summer where he could keep close tabs on the prospects development. However, the 18-year-old admitted he knew nothing about a move to PSV, but did acknowledge Hiddink’s visit.

“I felt honored by his visit, but you should not draw conclusions from it”

“I’ve been playing with the Dutch teams for years and I am very happy. Any choice between the Netherlands and Turkey has not yet been addressed. Right now I focus me on Arsenal. My contract expires at the end of the season I would first like to sort out my future.”

Talks on a new deal are yet to advance beyond the initial stages.

Benik Afobe has agreed to join League One side Huddersfield Town on loan until January, Young Guns has learnt.

The 17-year-old, who scored 11 goals in 13 appearances last season as the Under 18’s retained the Premier Academy League, will link up with Huddersfield later this week. Arsène Wenger and Pat Rice have both held discussions with Afobe and decided he was ready for league football.

The powerful front-man is currently enjoying his first season as a regular in the Reserve team, where he has been operating in an unfamiliar right wing role. However, its a position he’s had success in, playing their for England Under 17’s as they won the European Championships last summer.

Afobe, who has two years left to run on his current contract, could feature in Town’s weekend clash against Sheffield Wednesday.

Wojciech Szczęsny is refusing to hold further negotiations with Arsenal over extending his contract. The 20-year-old admits he has received an offer from the club, but he waiting for assurances over his future.

Arsène Wenger confirmed on Friday Young Guns’ story from the Polish press that talks had begun over a new deal and that an offer had been made. However, with the finer details still to thrash out, Szczęsny has broken off talks with the club and suggested he will only sign if he is given a prominent role in the team between now and the end of the season.

In a candid interview with Polish website Przegląd Sportowy, Wojciech was asked how the talks were progressing with Arsenal.

“There was some offers, but I am not interested right now. It’s not that I don’t want to extend the contract, I just don’t want to hold talks at this point. I have enough money to live and I can’t complain about that, but I will only be happy if I play.”

“Everything depends on how many games I play. I admit that I want to play at Arsenal as long as they want me. If I can earn my place in goal I won’t even consider any other offers.”

The break down in talks will come as a surprise to Wenger, who appeared confident that he would tie Szczęsny down to a long term deal last week.

Wojciech has spoken about his desire to play in the Champions League if Arsenal secure early progression into the knock out stages. Whether the Pole gets the nod in games like that will be make or break in the fight to keep arguably the best young goalkeeper in the country.

Welcome to this weekends 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.

Kyle Bartley returned to the Sheffield United starting lineup against Coventry. However, despite coming close to scoring late on, Kyle, who was wearing a protective mask, couldn’t keep a clean sheet as Coventry won 1-0.

Cedric Evina played 76 minutes for Oldham Athleltic as they beat Plymouth Argyle 4-2. Featuring at left back, Evina showed some promising signs that he is beginning to settle into life in League One.

Mark Randall started but only managed 21 minutes of his Rotherham United debut after receiving a nasty kick to the head in the opening minute. Randall was taken off a precaution but is expected to be fine to play next weekend.

Gavin Hoyte started and played the whole game at right back on his Lincoln City debut. Hoyte, who joined Lincoln on Friday, didn’t manage to keep a clean sheet, as City drew 2-2 with Wycombe Wanderers.

Sanchez Watt was not part of the Leeds United side that thrashed Scunthorpe United. Watt is still nursing an injury.

Vito Mannone was an unused substitute for Hull City who drew 1-1 with Barnsley in a Yorkshire derby.

Luke Freeman was an unused substitute for Yeovil Town who drew 3-3 with Swindon.

Francis Coquelin came off the bench to play the final 21 minutes against Arles-Avignon.

Armand Traore was not part of the Juventus side that beat AC Milan 2-1.

Nacer Barazite played the final 23 minutes for Vitesse as they drew 0-0 with his former side NEC Nijmegen in the Arnhem derby. Barazite came on as a striker in the closing stages.

Pedro Botelho completed the whole game at left back for FC Cartagena, but he had one of his poorer games as Villarreal B cruised to a 2-0 win.

Samuel Galindo was an unused substitute for Salamanca as they lost 1-0 to Real Valladolid.

Arsenal have moved to secure the services of three of the club’s most promising Under 16’s this week by offering them scholarship terms three months early.

Zach Fagan, Anthony Jeffrey and Isaac Hayden have all been offered deals while German Under 16 midfielder Serge Gnabry will sign scholarship forms when he completes his move from Stuttgart in July. The three are as yet the only youngsters who have had their futures secured, while a selection of others have had a decision put on hold.

Those who are waiting on that important call include goalkeeper Billy Duval, plus midfielders Jamal Wiseman, Alfred Martin and Jordan Palmer-Samuels. However, some have already been tolod they are feel to leave. Timothy Monsheju and Lewis Kinsella are just two of those, with the latter featuring for Chelsea’s Under 18’s this morning.

Arsenal announced 13 new scholars last year, but it seems certain the number of those getting signed this year will be dramatically less.

Gavin Hoyte has become the latest Arsenal youngster to leave the club on loan after he sealed a switch to League Two outfit Lincoln City this afternoon. The deal is initially for one month.

Hoyte, who has previously spent time with Watford and Brighton, joins new manager Steve Tilson in moving North after he was appointed manager last week. Gavin will wear the number 28 shirt at Sincil Bank and will be in contention to feature at the weekend if City can get register his paperwork with the Football League in time.

You can follow Gavin’s progress throughout the season in our regular Loanees updates.

Arsenal have opened negotiations with Wojciech Szczęsny over a new contract, according to respected Polish news agency Sport.pl.

Szczęsny, who’s current contract expires in July, shone in last night’s Carling Cup win over Newcastle United, earning mass applause. Talks had previously stalled over an extension, but the club are believed to have proposed fresh terms of a 5 year deal which would also includes a 20% rise in wages.

Wojciech spoke to Sport.pl after the game. In his usual determined manner, the 20-year-old admitted he is keen to take all his chances and prove he is as good as he says he is.

“One good game does not make me a great goalkeeper, as a poor performance that crossed me. I rarely get a chance, so I try to make the most of it.”

“I look forward to further performances to prove that it was no accident. I hope to keep a place in the League Cup side.”

Negotiations are expected to be concluded before January.

Arsène Wenger has handed Mark Randall one last chance to make a career for himself at Arsenal. The 21-year-old joined Rotherham United on loan this week in a key move.

Wenger has always been a big fan of Randall, who has featured twice in the Premier League alongside a selection of Champions League and Carling Cup run outs. He impressed during a short loan spell with Burnley in 2008 and returned as part of the first-team. However, Mark failed to take his chances amid the emergence of Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey and joined Milton Keynes Dons on loan last year.

The experience of playing in League One was supposed to kick start his development in a new role of holding midfield, a position he had shown promise in during the Carling Cup. Yet he struggled and never really looked interested as an inconsistent Dons side finished mid-table.

Wenger then selected Mark for the Emirates Cup, giving him match time against AC Milan, where he missed two simple chances in a 1-1 draw. A return to the Reserves has frustrated Randall, but this week he sealed a move to exciting League Two outfit Rotherham. Manager Ronnie Moor admitted it was a major coup;

“He is a fantastic player. I imagine he will be ear-marked on Saturday for someone to go straight through him as a `welcome to Division Two’. It will be a shock a shock for him to come from the Champions League at Arsenal to Rotherham in League Two.”

“There’s been six or seven Championship clubs that have gone mad that we’ve got him because they really wanted to take him, but Graham Brown, our chief scout, has done a fantastic job.”

The hope is that Randall will star in League Two during the three month loan spell ahead of a possible move to a Championship club in January to complete the season. Successful progression in both leagues will see Wenger re-open the door, having told the media this week he still believed in the prospect.

Randall will begin this important chapter of his career against Southend on Saturday.