Until recently, Arsenal’s Joel Campbell was hardly much of a known entity among football fans outside the loyal Emirates faithful.

Somewhat successful spells at both Real Betis, and in the Champions League with Olympiacos, showed the 22-year-old to be a promising talent at the very least - but also a player in need of a great deal more work and dedication on the training ground.

Since last summer’s 2014 World Cup in Brazil however, the young attacking midfielder has proven to the rest of the world that he does in-fact have something to bring to the table, as Costa Rica defied all odds in the so-called group of death with Joel Campbell at the forefront of their attack.

2014/15 was therefore supposed to be a campaign in which the Central American star would significantly contribute to Arsenal’s title push this season, and perhaps even warrant himself an illustrious first team place in Arsene Wenger’s competitive starting XI.

Such an outcome has seemingly failed to take place this year though – and with the World Cup hero now sent out on loan again for the remainder of the current campaign with Villarreal – the rest of the footballing community are forced to ask whether or not Joel Campbell still has a bright future ahead of him, either at the Emirates or beyond?

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As previously eluded to, one thing that has to be considered when it comes to the player in question, is that Campbell is nowhere near the finished article at this early stage in his career. As promising as the 2014 World Cup proved to be for the young Arsenal man, glimpses of talent can only take you so far in the modern game, and without some real consistency to back up his exploits out on the pitch, the 22-year-old simply hasn’t seen much development within his overall game as of late.

Succeeding in such a task, however, would require a far shot more trust on his manger’s part – and as Arsene Wenger so far hasn’t had the luxury of affording to give Campbell a solid run out in the team this season – the Gunners youngster seemingly hasn’t had the chance to display his talents at the Emirates on a regular enough basis.

As Villarreal fans may attest to since the turn of the year however, the Costa Rican international still potentially has something to give the world of football in the next few important years of his emerging career.

The attacking midfielder can really have a positive impact for his team when the situation allows. Goal scoring might have so far come as a slight issue for the on loan Arsenal attacker since his move to La Liga this January, but with his quick turn of pace, ability to hold off defenders and stand his ground successfully, and quick-feet in tight positions – the Estadio El Madrigal faithful have largely paid witness to a player with a fair degree of talent on offer, even if the no. 10 is yet to truly reach his full potential in club football.

Having said that though, there are certainly those within the current Arsenal contingency that have nevertheless over-hyped the club’s young talent throughout his recent career. When the 22-year-old scored one of his team’s goals against Manchester United in the Champions League last season for Olympiacos, many Gunners fans throughout the land immediately jumped on the hype that surrounded Joel Campbell at the time, and acted as if he was going to tear the Premier League apart when his chance in an Arsenal shirt eventually arrived.

It seems Joel Campbell currently falls into the bracket of unfulfilled talent at the Emirates – and as the Gunners faithful have a somewhat tainted reputation of giving too much credit to their young stars before they have actually blossomed into anything meaningful – perhaps such a notion really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Arsene Wenger seemingly doesn’t have much room for the Costa Rican in his first team plans going into next season anyway, yet because the current Villarreal loanee is still only 22-years-old, time certainly still resides on the side on the up and coming no. 10. It would be somewhat ridiculous to expect him to transform into a notorious world beater off the back of one partially successful World Cup campaign after all.

As breaking into any starting XI in the Premier League can prove a difficult task for young foreign stars trying to make a name for themselves in the English game though, maybe the Emirates is no longer the right place for Joel Campbell should a bright future still seemingly lay ahead of him.

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