Arsenal have decided to let their young striker Benik Afobe leave the club in a permanent move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, after the player completed half a season of his year-long loan to Milton Keynes Dons in search of regular first team football, according to the Express and Star.

The Gunners have been quite astute in their decisions on the future of their youth players in the academy, and the current first team is a testament to the same. Players like Jack Wilshere have come through the ranks in the youth squads to earn their way into the senior sides. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who has been in controversy over the smoking incident, was also one of the starlets of the youth team to have spent a season on loan and then returned to become the club’s number one. Arsenal currently have three senior players out on loan for the rest of the season, as Carl Jenkinson forms part of a resurgent West Ham United, while Ryo Miyaichi gets more first team football at FC Twente. And the most recent loan deal was for Lukas Podolski, who was vocal about his frustration of not playing in the first team more often.

Afobe joined Arsenal in 2001 as a youth player, and has remarkably had six loan spells since signing a contract with the senior team. A move to Wolves could bring regular first team football for Afobe in the Championship this season with the possibility of playing in the top flight next season.