Arsenal teenager makes encouraging start on loan | OneFootball

Ismeal Kabia has made an encouraging start to his Shrewsbury Town loan by featuring twice in their starting lineup, but the team clearly still need to improve.

Photo via Shrewsbury Town on Twitter

Arsenal didn’t send many players out on loan this season, but one of the few they did was Ismeal Kabia to Shrewsbury Town in League Two.

19-year-old Kabia’s transfer looks to have come at a good time for his development, there will be some concerns based on the last time Arsenal sent a youth winger to Shrewsbury.

Charles Sagoe Jr. played for Shrewsbury Town in the first half of 2024/25, but after just five league starts by January, Arsenal opted to recall the 21-year-old.

Photo via Sagoe Jr. on Instagram

With Kabia now on loan with the same club, the primary concern will be that he makes it into the starting lineup more often. The early signs are positive on that front, as the teenager has now started twice in two games.

Kabia made his debut in League Two against Accrington Stanley on Saturday, playing 80 minutes, and he then got a further 73 minutes in the midweek EFL Trophy clash against Walsall.

The winger is yet to notch a goal or assist, but he did create three chances in the Walsall clash, so he’s having an impact.

Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images

Shrewsbury have had a difficult start to the season, and that hasn’t particularly changed since Kabia’s arrival.

The team had won one, drawn one, and lost four of their competitive games in 2025/26 before adding Kabia to the squad, and they’ve drawn one and lost one in the two he’s played.

Yet the side were arguably unlucky in midweek, losing 3-1 but hitting the woodwork on multiple occasions and forcing some good saves. The game easily could have gone the other way, and Shrewsbury will now hope to build on that by winning away to Barnet on Saturday.