Carlos Vela faces a tough summer before joining Arsenal

By 1970's Gooner

Arsene Wenger has already stated that highly rated Mexican starlet Carlos Vela will be joining Arsenal in the summer. He will have by then obtained his work permit that will allow him to ply his football skills in the Premier League.

He has been a regular for Osasuna this season in the Spanish La Liga on loan from Arsenal.

His performances have been so good that the Osasuna hierarchy came recently to London to discuss the possibility of extending his loan period for next season.

They got an emphatic no from Mr Wenger who rates Vela very highly indeed. He has probably earmarked Vela as the player needed to solve the squad’s obvious need for a left footed midfielder.

Vela has been playing very well in that position for Osasuna with maturity beyond his young age (19) but the Pamplona side is embroiled in a dog fight to avoid relegation having lost the last two games.

So it has not been that easy for the youngster having to play under pressure in very important games that will determine the club’s fate.

When the Spanish league ends next week there will be no respite for Carlos as he has been selected by the new Mexican coach, Chucho Ramirez, to represent his country in the forthcoming crucial World Cup qualifiers beginning on the 15th June against Belize.

Before that he will join up with the Mexican national team in ten days time, on the 19th May ( a day after the Spanish league ends) to begin a series of preparation games.

These will be against Argentina in San Diego California(4th June) and against Peru four days later in Chigago. Mexico will then face Belize in a double encounter on June 15th (in Houston) and on June 21st (in Monterrey, Mexico).

Carlos will have to join up with Arsenal for pre season training about 10 days after that, in early July, which will hardly leave him time to have a well earned holiday with his family in Mexico.

Arsenal begin their friendlies schedule as early as the 19th July against Barnet at Underhill and then against Stuttgart (away) on the 30th luly.

Then it’s the Emirates Cup beginning on the 2nd of August against Juventus and Real Madrid. There is also a friendly scheduled against Huddersfield (away) on the 6th August.

It will be a hectic summer indeed for Carlos and for the 12 or so other Arsenal players who will participate in Euro 2008 and in other World Cup qualifiers.


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