The second half of the season will be equally as important for several members of this season's Arsenal loan army.
What started out as a group of 24 heading into the new year expanded to 29 - whether that be senior or academy players - after the January transfer window closed as many look to either send a message to Mikel Arteta ahead of the 2023/24 campaign or place themselves in a position to secure move away in the summer.
Nicolas Pepe certainly falls into the latter category having enjoyed a fine season back in France with OGC Nice thus far. However, a knee issue kept him out of their 3-0 win over Ajaccio and caretaker manager Didier Digard has promised to take care of the Arsenal loanee with regard to his return.
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"Nicolas has started his protocol, and he’s reacting well for now. He's also an important player. I’d rather take my time to make sure that we don’t lose him again before the end of the season," Digard said, as per Foot Sur 7. "We have a long season, we are really going to be careful because there will be the end of a campaign with a lot of games to deal with, and we will really need him."
Meanwhile, a thigh injury explains Nuno Tavares' absence for Marseille against Paris Saint-Germain and Clermont over the past week. And for one reason or another, nor Marquinhos, Miguel Azeez, Tyreece John-Jules, Mika Biereth, Nikolaj Möller, Marcelo Flores, Mazeed Ogungbo, Tom Smith, Kido Taylor-Hart or Billy Vigar featured for their respective loan clubs over the past week.
But Folarin Balogun was in action and he took his tally to 15 in Ligue 1 with a goal in Reims' 4-0 win over Troyes and Pablo Mari started for Monza in their 1-0 win at Bologna. There was a debut for Cedric Soares as Fulham beat Nottingham Forest and Albert Sambi Lokonga came off the bench as Crystal Palace earned a point against Brighton & Hove Albion in one of two controversial Premier League fixtures.
Omar Rekik also made his Wigan Athletic bow last Monday in the goalless draw against Blackburn Rovers but an injury sustained in that game sidelined him for the 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town, Charlie Patino was a substitute as Blackpool were held at home by Rotherham United and Brooke Norton-Cuffy featured in Coventry City's 1-1 draw with Luton Town.
Lower down the English football pyramid, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji made his second Accrington Stanley appearance in a goalless draw against Cheltenham, Taylor Foran was handed a senior debut for Hartlepool United and Tim Akinola was named man-of-the-match in the Derbyshire Times despite Chesterfield losing at home to Notts County.
North of the border, it was a good weekend for defensive pair Alex Kirk and Ryan Alebiosu as Ayr United and Kilmarnock reached the Scottish Cup quarter-final following wins over Elgin City and Dundee United respectively.
Ovie Ejeheri conceded twice as SJK Seinajoki lost against Haka, Arthur Okonkwo kept a clean sheet as Sturm Graz beat Rapid Wien and with several Arsenal loanees in line to feature once again over the next few days, football.london has rounded up the main headlines from the past week.
Trusty permanent deal proposed
Auston Trusty helped Birmingham City claim local bragging rights against West Brom on Friday night and the idea of him sealing a permanent transfer has been proposed by manager John Eustace.
"I think he is a terrific player," Eustace told BirminghamLive. "I think with Auston we have to remember he has come off the back of a full MLS season, so he’s touching nearly 50-60 games in a row now. It’s about getting that consistency. Would I have liked to have rested Auston throughout the season? One hundred per cent. But unfortunately we haven’t been able to do that.
"So his performances have also dipped throughout the season because of a lack of help, support I would like to have given him. But he is coming back now, he is coming back strong, his last couple of performances have been excellent.
"I would love him at the football club going forward. I think everyone connected to Birmingham City would love him to be part of the football club but we also respect he is an Arsenal player, a very good player but it’s something we can hopefully push at the end of the season."
Games in Turkey postponed
Following last week's devastating earthquake which struck Turkey and Syria, it has been announced by The Turkish Football Federation that all professional fixtures in all leagues have been postponed until at least 17 February and that meant no game for Alanyaspor's Runar Alex Runarsson.
More managerial changes for Maitland-Niles
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was somewhat of a surprise inclusion in the Southampton side that lost at home to 10-man Wolves - a game that proved to be Nathan Jones' final in charge - just 95 days after his appointment.
A statement via the club's official website reads: "Southampton Football Club can confirm it has parted company with Men’s First Team Manager Nathan Jones. First Team Coaches Chris Cohen and Alan Sheehan have also left the club. First Team Lead Coach Rubén Sellés will take charge of training and prepare the team ahead of next weekend’s game against Chelsea."
This means Maitland-Niles has played under two different managers during his season-long loan spell at St Mary's and it may not be too long before he discovers number three with the Saints already linked with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Jesse Marsch among others.
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