Amidst the uninterrupted murmurings of London football’s world of whispers, stories that have recently surfaced surrounding the proposed path of Charlton Athletic defender Carl Jenkinson appeared not to register within the wider football community. However, if rumours that the 19-year-old has signed a four year deal to join Arsenal this summer are to be believed, perhaps this particular aside could be set to resonate a great deal further outside the M25 within the foreseeable future.
The stylish centre back, who is equally adept on the right of a back four, is seen by many as South London’s hottest prospect, having been given the chance to showcase his abilities for the Robins on Christmas Day 2009; called up to the first team squad after Christian Dailly was taken ill as reward for remaining with the club since the age of nine before going on to make his debut the following year in the Football League Trophy against Brentford.
Jenkinson, who currently dons the number 34 shirt at the Valley, has represented England, his country of birth, at under-17 level but elected to play for his mother’s native Finland after being called up to play for their under-18s in St. Petersburg not long after his first-team introduction at Charlton. The 6’1’’ stopper skippered the side in the eight-team Valentin Granatkin Memorial tournament becoming, according to the calculations of Charlton Academy Manager Steve Gritt, the first non-national to captain a Finnish side at any level, and started at right back for the opening two group games, where the Finns were narrowly edged out by Italy and Turkey, before returning to the centre of defence for their 2-3 defeat in a play-off at the hands of Belarus, acquitting himself well in a side clearly struggling to compete with their Eastern European neighbours.
This dive into the deep end had come off the back of a string of noteworthy performances as captain of the Addicks' under-18s in the FA Youth Cup, including an impressive showing against Chelsea in the third round. But the teenager was brought back down to earth with a bump following his return from Russia as he was sent on work experience to Blue Square South outfit Welling United, before spending part of this season on loan but a pigeon-step up the league ladder with Eastbourne Borough.
This intriguing blend of football encounters can only aid the youngster’s development, however, and it is maybe this depth of experience that has made Arsene Wenger take the plunge and plump for the Finn in his search for a strong, cultured centre-half. He has now made his competitive international debut, his junior bow coming during qualification for the 2011 UEFA under-19 European Championships, while he added a first competitive goal for the national side to his CV against Moldova. He is yet to make his senior competitive international debut and his allegiance is, therefore, up for grabs. But the race for his domestic services, by all accounts, has already been won by a certain professor from just North of the Thames.
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