Teen Striker Hoping To Play For Arsenal Next Year

Joel Campbell has insisted that he will work hard to get into the Arsenal first team next year, with the 19 year old aiming to use his experience from a loan-spell at Lorient to break into the side.

The Gunners signed Campbell last summer, but the Costa Rican was unable to obtain a work permit to play for the club, and as a result was immediately sent to Lorient for a season long spell.

And after returning to the Emirates at the end of the Ligue 1 season, and assisting in saving the French outfit from relegation, he is now hoping that Arsenal will hand him the chance to play for them next season and show he's good enough to stand up alongside the likes of Robin van Persie and Lukas Podolski.

"That's what I'm hoping for - to play for Arsenal next year," he told the Arsenal website. "I think I've got the ability to do it. I've got every confidence in my ability to go to Arsenal and play.

"I've learned how to live with other people in a different country to mine, to be here living life outside football, to learn about the training and the intensity of the game in Ligue 1.

"That's all helped me to learn things so I can continue my football career with Arsenal, and I hope that's going to happen."

Arsenal have a great deal of talent up front, and Podolski will no doubt be given a huge chance after the Cologne striker sealed his move to north London next season.

But Campbell still thinks that he can contribute to the Gunners line-up, and is ready to show Arsene Wenger just how good he is the moment he gets called up.

"I think I can bring a lot of things to the Arsenal attack - I can contribute goals and assists," he explained. "I want people to see what I can do. I always think big, so I want to go to Arsenal and play as many games as possible.

"I have to give everything I've got, train hard and have faith in my abilities, to never doubt them and keep moving forward."