WHEN David Bentley first burst onto the scene at Arsenal, it seemed like the beginning of a match made in heaven.

Gunners fans love players with skill and flair at Highbury and in teenager Bentley they had a homegrown talent who appeared to have those qualities in abundance - a fact illustrated by his first ever goal in an Arsenal shirt, a sublime chip over Mark Schwarzer in an FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough last year.

It wasn't long before pundits began to laud the prodigious young forward as the future successor to Dennis Bergkamp and a glittering Highbury career beckoned for the England youth international.

But such is the depth of attacking resources at Arsene Wenger's dispossal that even a player of Bentley's undoubted ability found his path into the first team blocked by a stellar cast of seasoned internationals.

Now 18 months on, a divorce seems inevitable between Bentley and the Gunners after the 21-year-old opted for a trial separation last week by agreeing to join Blackburn Rovers on loan until the end of the season.

It would seem one of England's most promising young players has finally grown tired of languishing at Highbury, his career seemingly stagnating at the expense of Wenger's foreign legion.

Bentley was already competing against the likes of Thierry Henry, Bergkamp, Jos Antonio Reyes, Robert Pires and Robin van Persie for a place in the Arsenal first team before Wenger then dipped into the Highbury coffers once again this summer to snap up Alexander Hleb from Stuttgart.

Hleb's arrival merely confirmed what Bentley had been thinking for a while, that his career would best be served if he turned his back on the Londoners and went elsewhere in his quest for first team football.

"I wanted to crack it at Arsenal, it's the club I grew up at, but I had to make the decision to come away," lamented Bentley, who has spent the last decade at Highbury.

"There comes a point where you're doing so well and you feel like you're cracking on but the opportunity isn't there, and if the opportunity isn't there then I'm not afraid to come away."

Bentley walked away, albeit temporarily, last season when he swapped the marble halls of Highbury for a relegation scrap at Norwich.

It was a bold move by the midfielder-cum-striker, who was eager to take on a more prominent role after spending several years in the wings at Arsenal.

But that season-long spell at Carrow Road turned out to be a valuable education for a player desperate to make his way in the game.

"I learned a lot more in that one year at Norwich than I did in five years at Arsenal," insists Bentley.

"We weren't winning every week, it was hard, we had to dig deep, we went a long time without winning a game and I learned a lot about myself.

"It was a difficult time. I got injured and I had to get myself back into the team, but it was great and it has set me up for this year so hopefully I can crack on now and go to that next level."

Now Bentley hopes he can further his football education over the next nine months at Blackburn where he's looking forward to linking up with Eddie Niedzwiecki, Arsenal's former reserve coach, once again.

The pair had a decent working relationship at Highbury and Niedzwiecki was instrumental in bringing Bentley to Ewood once he learned that the youngster was available.

"Eddie's a great man. He wants to work with you and make you better," said Bentley.

"I'm at that age in my career where I'm still young and I want to put the effort in in training and learn and try to get better as a player.

"And Eddie will stay out training with you until it goes dark."

Mark Hughes' latest signing also has strong links in the north west and he's delighted to be returning to his roots after an extended stay in the capital.

Speaking of his decision to join Rovers, he added: "This is a top club. Blackburn won the league not too long ago and they've got good technical players who give 100 per cent every week.

"My family are also all from this area. My grandparents still live here (in Rochdale) and my mum and dad grew up here so it seemed like the perfect choice.

"It's just exciting to be given a chance to play football again on a Saturday."