Arsenal confirm Almeria loan for next season

16 Jul 2014 | Posted by Carl Thomas

Arsenal has confirmed that Brazilian Wellington Silva will spend further time on loan to Spanish side Almeria for the next season due to UK work permit problems.

Issues with the work permit paperwork has meant that the young player has been forced to spend numerous seasons on loan since he first joined Arsenal in January 2010 from Fluminense. So far he has played with Levante, Alcoyano, Ponferradina and Murcia and now it looks like he is set to join Almeria, according to Sky Sports.

Despite the ongoing problems with the immigration control in the UK, Arsenal remain hopeful that by the 2015/16 football season, everything will have been cleared and Silva will be able to play for the English team.

The player's agent told Sky Sports: “A deal has been agreed between Arsenal and Almeria for Wellington Silva to go on loan for the season.

“He had the choice to go to a number of teams in Spain, but Silva has decided to join Almeria.”

The agent added that he will fly to spain next week in order to complete the paperwork and finalise the deal. But he also confirmed the player's future plans to return to Arsenal once a work permit had been secured: “We are hopeful that, after this loan at Almeria, Silva will be able to return to play for Arsenal and they will monitor his progress in Spain next season.”

Despite signing for Arsenal, the 21-year-old forward has never played a match for the club's first team due to the ongoing UK work permit issues.