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Young Arsenal ‘warrior’ eager to extend loan away from Emirates, two 9/10s last international break
Arsenal loanee Daniel Ballard has expressed his eagerness to extend his loan spell away from the Emirates Stadium beyond the end of January.
The 21-year-old defender, who’s yet to make a competitive senior appearance for the Gunners, made the temporary switch to League One side Blackpool in October.
A combination of international duty with Northern Ireland, a controversial red card suspension and squad competition has meant Ballard has made just seven appearances so far.
However, he has been thoroughly impressive when called upon and, given how well he has done, Neil Critchley wants to keep player at Bloomfield Road beyond the end of January.
“It’s something we’ve spoken about already,” he told the earlier this week. “It’s something we’re well aware of in terms of his situation, so we’re on top of it.
“Dan plays like a leader. He plays with real personality and character on the pitch and he never takes a step backwards. He’s a warrior.”
On Friday, the same outlet asked Ballard what he thought about possibly extending his loan spell.
He : “I want to keep performing well and hopefully I’ll get the opportunity to keep playing – and hopefully it will be until the end of the season.
“I’m feeling really settled and really enjoying my football.”
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Ballard has not only proven himself for Blackpool, but also shone during the last international break, earning two consecutive 9/10s for his displays against and in the Nations League.
It’s unlikely that Arsenal will want him back in January with a view to first-team football as they’ll probably be eager for him to get more experience, and as he’s settled at Blackpool, he should definitely stay put.
You could argue he’s doing well enough to have a go at a Championship or lower Premier League side, but the upheaval of another move can be unsettling, and there’s also the risk of not being given as much game time elsewhere.