Stevenage boss open to reunion with Arsenal teenager

The 19-year-old was on loan at Boro earlier this season before he picked up a knee injury in training, forcing him to miss 13 weeks.

Jebb is back in action for the Gunners’ U21 side and, speaking to Arsenal’s website this week, he said: “[The loan] was a great experience. The mentality of the players there helped me. The physical side of it is something I need to work on.

“I’m hoping to go back on loan, hopefully to Stevenage soon. Maybe in the next few weeks I’ll go back there and hopefully finish the season there.”

The attraction is mutual, with Westley calling Jebb a ‘terrific’ talent and leaving the door open for a reunion.

“He knows how highly I rate him,” said Westley. “I enjoyed having him here; he’s a terrific player. He didn’t play much football for us but what you didn’t see was the development behind the scenes. I was very impressive with where he got to at the point he took his knock, which was a shame because, in my mind, he was getting ready to play a major part.”

He added: “It’s good that he enjoyed it here. It’s good that he sees the club being a place he wants to get back to.

“If he wants to come back, and Arsenal want to move him here, then certainly I wouldn’t say no.”

A return to the club will have to be soon with the loan window closing next week. Westley has already made some shrewd moves, bringing in Kevin Lisbie from Leyton Orient, Bruno Andrade from Queens Park Rangers and Danny Johnson from Cardiff, but, if the right player comes available, more could be forthcoming.

“Clubs have been brilliant with us,” he explained. “The big clubs are looking after their youngsters and making them available to the likes of ourselves who haven’t got big budgets and we’ve been able to get some really valuable deals, which is to our advantage.

“If deals like that are available, with good quality boys who can come in and potentially make a difference, then we may do. But I’m not in any hurry; we’ve got a good squad of players.”