Author: Staff Writer

Vito Mannone has joined Championship outfit Hull City on loan until January the 3rd 2011. The Italian stopper is expected to go straight into the squad to face Sheffield United tomorrow.

Mannone will be allowed to complete the season with Hull if both Arsenal and The Tigers are happy with the agreement. The Italian Under 21 international joins City just over a week after publicly telling Arsene Wenger of his desire to seek regular first-team football.

Vito will wear the number 29 shirt at the KC Stadium. You can read a full report on Young Guns tomorrow should he make his debut against Sheffield United.

Arsenal have decided against signing Mamelodi Sundowns centre back Siyanda Xulu after he failed a trial, according to youth development coach Gary Giessing.

Xulu, and agent Jerome McCarthy of the Siyavuma Sports Agency, arrived at London Colney two weeks ago for a trial which was scheduled to last for a month. The 18-year-old took part in intensive work outs with the Reserve team and he even featured in a Reserves V Under 18 game at the training ground.

The powerful defender, who is on the fringes of the South Africa squad, was looked after by fellow countryman and Arsenal youth officer Gary Giessing, who spoke to youngster to the media in his home land.

“He’s been training with the Reserves. From what the other coaches have told me, he’s not up to the standard. That’s the opinion of some of the senior coaching team. I doubt he will be offered a contract.”

Siyanda is due back in South Africa later this week in order to participate in Sundowns’ upcoming PSL fixture against the Orlando Pirates.

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.

Sanchez Watt started but only played 37 minutes for Leeds United against Middlesbrough. The winger was substituted with an injury, but he did leave an impact, setting up Davide Somma for the opener in a 2-1 win.

Kyle Bartley was not part of the Sheffield United squad that drew 3-3 with Burnley. The centre half is still nursing a broken jaw sustained two weeks ago.

Luke Freeman came off the bench to play the final 25 minutes for Yeovil. However, he failed to have the same impact as last week, where he scored, as Yeovil lost 2-0.

Cedric Evina played 62 minutes at left back for Oldham as they drew 0-0 with Colchester United. Cedric was taken off shortly after picking up a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

Francis Coquelin started and played 73 minutes for Lorient against Valenciennes. The Frenchman turned in a promising shift as Lorient ended their recent run of poor results, winning 2-1.

Armand Traore was not part of the Juventus side that beat Lecce 4-0.

Nacer Barazite completed the 90 minutes for Vitesse Arnhem who were thrashed by Roda JC.

Pedro Botelho played the full game for FC Cartagena as they drew 0-0 with SD Huesca. Botelho turned in another fantastic shift at left back, with his long throws proving dangerous.

Samuel Galindo came on in stoppage time as UD Salamanca beat Recreativo de Huelva 2-0.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman believes Arsène Wenger has all the options he needs to solve the club’s long running search for a number one, but the candidates are failing to show the best of themselves.

In an interview with commercial radio station talkSPORT, Seaman spoke of his frustration at the mistakes both Manuel Almunia and Łukasz Fabiański have made, but questioned whether Reserve duo Vito Mannone and Wojciech Szczęsny were showing their best in training.

Seaman coaches part-time at London Colney, acting as assistant to Gerry Peyton where required. However, the majority of his work is done alongside Tony Roberts, looking after the younger and emerging options.

Speaking specifically on the younger duo, the 47-year-old spoke about both Mannone and Szczęsny. The pair have failed to win the confidence of Wenger as yet.

“At the moment they’re not fulfilling their potential. I’ve seen what they can do, Almunia and Fabianski, but Wojciech and Vito even. At the moment they’re not showing how good they are.”

Szczęsny and Mannone have both openly admitted their disappointment at the lack of playing opportunities in recent weeks, but Seaman’s comments shed light on their commitment to the cause, and whether they’re doing all they can to put themselves firmly in Wenger’s plans.

Arsenal are putting the finishing touches to Aaron Ramsey’s rehabilitation from a fractured tibia and fibula. The Welshman returned to full training this week and plans are afoot for Ramsey to turn out for the Reserves in the coming weeks.

Ramsey has been training at Arsenal’s state of the art indoor centre based at London Colney for a number of weeks, but the 19-year-old was told he is free to link up with the first team last week. Newly appointed fitness coach Marcus Svensson is running the rule over Aaron’s come back and was happy to give the midfielder the green light to do ball work and exercises with the team.

The hope is that Ramsey will be able to turn out of the Reserves sometime in November. Arsenal are also hoping to arrange a selection of behind closed doors fixtures should he need it, with a first-team return being penciled in before Christmas. So far the youngster has suffered no muscle set backs; meaning his return has gone according to plan.

This latest news comes in a week where Aaron was named the Welsh Young Player of the Year.

Arsenal remain interested in Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku, but talk of an imminent transfer is wide of the mark. Speculation emanating from the English media this week had claimed that a deal was all but done.

Lukaku has been subject of Arsenal’s interest for a number of seasons, with his rapid and consistent goal scoring rate for Anderlecht’s B team initially attracting interest. Low level scouts made checks on the striker during his first season in the youth side, where he scored 21 goals in 88 matches.

Interest began to grow when Romelu made his first team debut, but his father, Roger, warned off potential suitors. The Lukaku family agreed they wouldn’t consider a transfer until he had completed his schooling, in late 2011. Subsequently, talk of a deal went cold.

Arsenal remain keen on the powerful front-man, but a move to Chelsea sooner rather than later is the general feeling in Belgium. The Blues have previously made contact with Anderlecht and are ready to meet the large price tag they’ve slapped on their price asset. The influence of Didier Drogba has also been telling. The Ivorian sent Romelu a replica shirt  earlier this year, in which he posed for pictures in during a photo-shoot.

The powerful, all action and clinical striker is valued at around €18 million euros; a dramatic hike on the initial €3 million The Gunners were prepared to pay a year ago. It seems certain Lukaku will be one of the stars of the future, but if  his future does lay in London, it’s almost certainly in the West, and not the North.

Signed from Figueirense in July 2007, Pedro Botelho is something of an enigma among Arsenal fans. The Brazilian is currently spending his fourth campaign away from the club as he bids to finally win a work permit and complete his dream switch to North London.

Botelho’s early career was marred by a selection of spats with various loan clubs, but now part of an experienced and competitive Cartagena team, Pedro is finally showing signs of reaching his potential. Two goals and a collection of assists have seen the 20-year-old become the Segunda’s leading light. Life in Murcia has clearly mellowed the party boy from the vibrant town of Salvador.

“I’ve changed a lot. I need time, but I’m slowly improving, and I feel I’m on the right track. Now I spend all day quietly at home, playing Pro Evolution Soccer on the PlayStation and without going to parties. I sometimes take my girlfriend to the movies, but I always fall asleep.”

The influence of former Gunner Pascal Cygan has been significant on Pedro, who often speaks to the Frenchman for advice. The confident full back has a tale similar to many Brazilian football stars; the battle against poverty to over come the odds and win a move to Europe. Yet this tale has a different edge.

“I was always playing in my neighborhood, with friends in the street, in Salvador. We just had a pair of stones as goalposts on the sand. The first club of my life was Figueirense, the youth team. I was 16 when I joined, and just six months later I saw a scout for Arsenal in Brazil, and he took me to London for two weeks. I passed a trial and I was there.”

Botelho’s rise to fame was sudden, but he is quick to remember and respect those who gave him his first steps in football.

“I want to be a great player, of course, like everyone else. But I never forget my neighborhood, my people and my city. I’m in Spain for them. Everything I do for is for my family and I suffer and want to be someone for them. My goal is that they can have a better life in the future”

That determination to succeed, for whatever reason, is powering Pedro to success. Never has he been closer to that goal of being a realistic option for Arsène Wenger. So what are his thoughts and ambitions about finally playing for The Gunners?

“Now I’m in Cartagena, I want to make things right. But my dream is to return to London, and play many years in England and be a major player in the Premier League. Arsenal told me that they count on me for the future. They believe that these loans in Spain are helping me a lot.

“Soon I’ll be in England, playing with the best players in the world.”

Welcome to a special news round up covering Arsenal’s young Gunners in action throughout the international break.

Arsenal crushed Chelsea in the Premier Academy League this morning, beating the Blues 3-0. All the goals came in the second half, with Kyle Ebecilio, Alban Bunjaku and Josh Rees grabbing them.

The Gunners struggled to boss the game but hit Chelsea on the break, with devastating consequences. Emi Martinez in the Arsenal goal made a selection of fantastic saves, adding to his blooming reputation.

Benik Afobe came off the bench with 20 minutes left for England Under 19’s in their European Championship qualifier against Albania last night. The striker left his mark, scoring once and making two goals in a 6-1 rout.

Jack Wilshere has now linked up with the full England team after helping the Under 21’s edge Romania 2-1 in their vital Euro qualifier. Wilshere played all but the final minutes and claimed an assist, flicking the ball on for Chris Smalling to smash the winner.

You can read a full loanees report tomorrow afternoon.