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Loans in football are a thing of beauty in more ways than one. While it can provide youngsters with a path to discover the wider world of football and gain valuable experience of playing regular competitive games, it also gives veterans a great escape route when stuck in a sticky situation.With only about 24 hours left for player movements, it brings about a unique situation which makes loans a favourite for all parties involved. A failure in coming to terms with the economics for the two sides involved as well as the players’ interest taken into factor, a loan seems to be the simple way out.Here are ten players who should (and could) go out on loan on deadline day.
#1 Serge Gnabry - Arsenal
Serge Gnabry broke on to the scene last season with his trickery and pace, scoring his first goal for the Gunners in a 2-1 victory over Swansea at the Liberty Stadium. Capable of playing on either wing and even behind the striker, the young German quickly knitted in with the team seamlessly. However, the return of bigger names from injuries meant Gnabry had to step back from the spotlight.
Arsenal already had a plethora of options going forward (except a prolific centre-forward) last season and the addition of a certain Alexis Sanchez means Wenger should have no headaches when it comes to looking for resources in midfield and on the wings.
This also means another thing: any young prospect looking to establish himself at Arsenal might probably have to do it elsewhere before his performance warrants him a place in the match day squad, let alone the first eleven.
That’s where Gnabry comes in. The 19-year-old is unlikely to feature heavily anytime soon for the Gunners except for cup games. That’s going to do nothing but stunt his growth as a player. The best solution thus, would be a loan.
#2 Matija Nastasic - Manchester City
Matija Nastasic has seen his stock dwindle down dramatically in the space of a year. A favourite of Roberto Mancini, Nastasic quickly became a regular in the City line-up upon his arrival in the summer of 2012 from Fiorentina. The highly-rated youngster took little time in dislodging Joleon Lescott at the heart of the City defence to form a formidable partnership with club captain Vincent Kompany.
However, the Serbian failed to win the confidence Manuel Pellegrini and was quickly replaced by the incoming Martin Demichelis, as the Chilean sought more stability at the heart of the Citizen’s defence. Now, Nastasic seems to have become an afterthought with the emergence of Dedrick Boyata and the arrival on the scene of City’s newest recruit, Elaquim Mangala, who signed earlier this summer for a British record transfer fee for a defender.
The 21-year-old has already been linked with permanent moves to Juventus and Arsenal and should be heading out on loan if a permanent transfer fails to be beaten through on deadline day to further his fledgling career.
#3 Lukas Podolski - Arsenal
Lukas Podolski, might not have stuggled at Arsenal but has failed to reach the heights many had envisaged for the World Cup Winner at The Emirates.
Podolski, who has scored 19 goals in 53 Premier League appearances since moving to The Emirates from FC Köln in 2012 has seen most of his appearances in the red and white of Arsenal as a substitute. The £11m signing was in fact, the most used substitute in the Premier League in his first season in England.
The ex-Bayern Munich man is expected to fall further down the Arsenal pecking order this summer following the £35million arrival of Alexis Sanchez.
With players like Theo Walcott on the verge of return and Arsene Wenger preferring to go with someone like Yaya Sanogo or Joel Campbell up top, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel for the German international.
Whilst his agent might have rubbished claims of his departure from London, a short-term loan would do no harm to any of the parties.
#4 Micah Richards - Manchester City
When Micah Richards made his debut in the blue of Manchester City in 2005, not only the Eastlands but the whole of England thought they had a future star on their hands.
Richards’ performances in his early years in City colours saw him become a standout, leading to him becoming England’s first choice at right-back for a period of time.
However, things never quite worked out for him as he fell down the pecking order at The Etihad and soon became second choice behind Pablo Zabaleta under Roberto Mancini. Things haven’t got better since Manuel Pellegrini took over the helm at Eastlands and now he seems to become the third choice behind Zabaleta and City new boy Bacary Sagna.
Richards has already been offered to a number of clubs which include West Ham, Newcastle and Sunderland. With wages becoming a niggling factor in terms of a permanent move, Manchester City might have to do with a loan for now to get him off their books.
#5 Javier Hernandez - Manchester United
Chicharito was disgruntled by the lack of minutes afforded to him by David Moyes last season. This one seems to be getting no better under Louis van Gaal. After failing to impress the Dutchman in the season opener against Swansea, Hernandez has swiftly seen himself thrown to the far end of the bench.
The Mexican has been an unused substitute for the last two games for Manchester United even though the Red Devils scored only one solitary in their last couple of games. Hernandez has been keen on shaking off his tag of “the super sub” in recent times, but if it's regular football he seeks, he might have to head elsewhere.
The diminutive hitman has been linked with a loan move to Real Madrid this week and could be moved out on a loan on deadline day.
#6 Toby Alderweireld - Atletico Madrid
Toby Alderweireld’s move to Atletico Madrid from Ajax last summer hasn’t gone quiet as the Belgian might have had planned it in his mind. Diego Simeone’s La Liga winning side was built on a solid foundation laid down by its identity at the back.
Simeone warranted a sense of continuity at the back with the Argentine sticking to his favourite backline of Juanfran, Diego Godin, Miranda and Felipe Luis for majority of the season. This philosophy warranted Alderweireld a mere ten starts in his first season in La Liga and even those came at his not-so-favoured wing-back positions.
One year after arriving at the Vicente Calderon, the 25-year-old is already on the lookout for pastures new with teams like Newcastle, Sunderland and Southampton reportedly ready to give the talented youngster the chance he wants.
A loan deal for Alderweireld might swiftly be concluded on deadline day.
#7 Sebastian Coates - Liverpool
Once touted as the man to take over from Jamie Carragher at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, it has gone all pear shaped for Sebastian Coates. The Uruguayan now firmly embodies the tag of a Premier League flop, having failed to make any impression whatsoever following his move to England in 2011.
The ex-Nacional defender has fallen down the pecking order so much that some hardly remember that the Uruguayan international is still in the books at Anfield. However, at the age of 23, Coates still has time on his side to rebuild his reputation and a loan move might be the exact thing for him.
With Sunderland reportedly interested in the services of the defender, the South American should grab this opportunity with both hands (and legs if possible) to make a case for his fledgling career.
#8 Hatem Ben Arfa - Newcastle United
Hatem Ben Arfa is currently persona non grata for Alan Pardew at Tyneside. The Frenchman has been forced to train with the reserves and play in behind closed door games against teams like “Queens of The South”. Pardew has sighted a “lack of professionalism” on the Frenchman's part that has seen him being handed out such a harsh treatment.
Ben Arfa fell out with the manager last season itself after having a war of words regarding his tactics. This season has been no better, with the relationship deteriorating further as the Frenchman was fined for reporting to pre-season overweight, which the Frenchman later claimed as “all muscle”.
The ex-Lyon man seems to have fallen in love with Newcastle. His agent, in a recent statement said that the player had rebuffed an approach from Turkish giants Besiktas for the services of the player after Newcastle had accepted the offer for the enigmatic player.
With Newcastle getting off to a pretty poor start to the season, Ben Arfa might still see himself get back into the fray. However, this saga has gone on too long and if Pardew isn’t willing to bend, the Frenchman has a high chance of heading away this time around with a number clubs, especially in France ready to offer him refuge, but only on a loan.
#9 Xherdan Shaqiri - Bayern Munich
Xherdan Shaqiri has failed to truly put the pedal to the metal in regards to his career ever since joining Bayern Munich in 2012 from Basel. A lack of form and a really deep pool of talent at the Allianz Arena has limited Shaqiri's appearances to sporadic at best.
We were once again reminded of the talents of the Swiss winger as he nearly single-handedly dragged the Swiss to the knock-out stages of the World Cup earlier this summer. His hat-trick against Honduras was in fact one of the standout performances of the entire tournament.
The 22-year-old surely has too much talent for him to be warming the bench in Germany and it’s high-time he orchestrated that on a more regular basis. Shaqiri has been the subject of immense transfer speculation so far this season with big names all across Europe being linked with the stoutly built winger.
With push coming to shove on the final day of transfers, Shaqiri might finally leave the Bavarians on a short-term loan deal and deal with the long-term later.
#10 Jack Butland - Stoke City
Jack Butland has seen himself perpetually going out on loan to find first team football ever since joining Stoke 19 months ago and the situation doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon for the young Englishman. The last couple of seasons has already seen him spend lengthy loan spells at old club Birmingham, Barnsley and Leeds United.
The young keeper was a hot prospect a few years back and is still unclear as to what prompted the England U-21 regular to sign on the dotted lines at The Britannia, where they already had a impressive first team regular installed in Asmir Begovic. With Begovic looking well on his way to spending another season as Stoke's number one, Butland might have to pack his travelling bags again.
Butland made his season debut earlier this week when to the surprise of many, he, rather than Thomas Sorensen was named as the started in the League Cup encounter against Portsmouth.
While Mark Hughes seems to envision a great future for the English lad at the club, the question that should be asked is, “What about now?”
