Arsenal-bound Krystian Bielik is ‘nowhere near the finished article’, according to Legia Warsaw manager Henning Berg.
Arsenal have reportedly agreed a £2.5 million fee for the Polish midfielder, who will have his medical sometime today.
But Berg has warned Arsene Wenger not to expect an immediate impact from the 17-year-old.
The former Manchester United defender recently told talkSPORT:
‘Being 17 this month he is nowhere near the finished article yet.
‘He has a lot of things to learn and to improve and I really do hope that Arsenal, if they sign him then they really look after him, coach him and make sure he gets the best out of his potential.
‘You don’t see too many kids his age that have come as far as he has at his age so he’s got a good chance. But you’ve got to give him time because to play for Arsenal in the Premier League is a big, big step up.’
Bielik has been dubbed the ‘new Vieira’ by the media, and Berg insists the Pole will need to be given time to adapt to the Premier League, suggesting it will be hard for the midfielder to play regularly from now until the end of the season:
‘It will be very difficult for him, to come in and play regularly for Arsenal within the next six months.
‘He needs time to settle, adjust and develop and if he gets to train with the first team then fantastic, but to get Premier League matches will be a little bit too early for him.’
Berg finished off by saying Bielik would be better off staying put and developing his game further at Legia Warsaw, but understands the teenager’s urge to join the Gunners:
‘He was in the perfect place for him at Legia Warsaw.
‘He had good players around him with lots of match practice at a good level, the right level for him.
‘He has only been with the first team for six months so would have continued to develop here and got better and better. I was hoping he would stay but I can understand why he wants to go.’
Wenger has gone for Bielik knowing the player isn’t ready to feature regularly for Arsenal, and Berg shouldn’t have anything to worry about the player not developing in the right way – Arsenal’s academy is one of the best in the world after all.
We have a number of midfielders at the club already and despite the need for a defensive midfielder, I doubt Wenger and the fans sees Bielik as an immediate solution – not yet anyway.
Wenger sees potential in the Pole and perhaps, if he develops in the correct way, will become a regular in the future. But for now, if the transfer actually goes through, Bielik will almost certainly play for the Arsenal reserves for the remainder of the season.
