Arsenal announce first team jump for Jeff Reine-Adelaide
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There have been signs over the last few weeks that this was coming. He’s been wearing the #31 in training and his name was removed from the academy section of the Arsenal website a couple days ago.
His lone appearances for the first-team came in two substitute appearances in FA Cup action this past season, first against Sunderland on January 9th and then against Hull City on March 8th.
In the friendly against Lens, Reine-Adelaide played the first half and was one of the brightest players on the field for the Gunners, linking up well with Alex Iwobi and Chuba Akpom and seeming to pose the biggest threat to goal.
Twitter: #TheJeff showed flashes of promise tonight… watch our highlights from #LENSvAFC now ⬇️
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Reine-Adelaide will join an already crowded attacking midfield with Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Alex Iwobi, Joel Campbell, Serge Gnabry, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain already on the roster in the No. 10 or wing position he would occupy.
It’s unlikely he would unseat Alexis, Ozil or even Iwobi, but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger doesn’t seem to have consistent faith in any of the others on that list.
The rest of the preseason will be important for Reine-Adelaide to prove he belongs. He’ll certainly be given plenty of chances with Alexis, Ozil and Olivier Giroud yet to return from holiday and unlikely to make it for the Gunners’ first Premier League game against Liverpool on August 13th.
Arsenal fans will likely get the first glimpse of Reine-Adelaide as a first-team player tonight in a friendly against the MLS All-Stars.