Is there a path for Nigerian fullback at Arsenal after MOTM performance on loan?

The most important stage of a youngster's career is to make the jump from youth football into senior football.

To do this, talent is not enough, dedication and a strong mentality are highly needed. These intangibles cannot be developed on the bench, which is why clubs send them out on loan to gain valuable playing time to develop.

Arsenal loanee Ryan Alebiosu is in this bracket and he was loaned to Scottish League new boys Kilmarnock a few days ago. Alebiosu is highly talented and rated around Hale End Academy where he has been since the age of eight.

In his debut game against Stenhousemuir in the Scottish League Cup, Alebiosu was named man of the match despite playing only the first half in a game his team won with a 4-1 scoreline.

Alebiosu provided a lot of qualities for Kilmarnock from his full-back position. He provided pace, stretched the pitch and was willing to take opponents on. His crosses were also full of threat as the team won corners from them.

With all the qualities displayed by Alebiosu, one would wonder if there is a pathway into the Arsenal first team for the youngster. Allnigeriasoccer.com takes a look at the situation.

Alebiosu's strength lies in his overlapping abilities due to the fact that he started out as a winger before being converted into a full-back.

However, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta loves full-backs who are able to invert to act as an extra centre-back or extra central midfielder.

The likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko are excellent in this regard.

While Alebiosu can also tuck in to do a similar job, his calmness under pressure, combinational play and passing accuracy need to go up another level.

Arsenal are yet to be linked with any replacements for Cedric Soares, which gives any academy youngster one or two more seasons to mature fully to take Cedric's place as Tomiyasu's backup.

This is the only pathway available and if Arteta signs someone else, then it becomes a more difficult task.

Alebiosu is 20 years old and needs to buckle up to grab that pathway available by performing very well consistently in order to force Arteta to have a look at him.

However, he also has fierce competition in someone like Brook Norton-Cuffy, and if he misses this chance, he may well have to leave the Emirates Stadium.

Sofoluwe Mayowa

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