Arsenal have had an undoubtedly brilliant season but we have reached a point where it becomes necessary to look forward to the future. This might sound odd when talking about a team that is stacked with young talent.
Despite the youthful stars that are spread all over the pitch, there is one part of the squad that needs some refreshing. When you look at the midfield, two of the three starters are going to approach the wrong side of 30. Now, what do the Gunners have to do to solve this situation?
Declan Rice
The West Ham United man is one of the most complete players you can find in the Premier League. Signing him would be a dream for many teams and that is one facet that makes this potential transfer wonderful news. The best part about the England international is that he is versatile enough to play both as an 8 and as a 6.
This means that in the current setup at the Emirates, he can slot in to replace Thomas Partey or Granit Xhaka. Rice also has all the qualities that Mikel Arteta likes in a midfielder. The 24-year-old is able to go up and down the pitch for the full 90 minutes, is excellent at breaking up moves and can carry the ball on his own.
Another advantage of the potential move for the West Ham star is that he will be cheaper this summer. If this was a couple of years ago, it would have almost been impossible to lure him. But with the league leaders returning to the Champions League, things are starting to look up for the north Londoners. Adding Rice into the mix would be a perfect solution.
Moises Caicedo
If things had gone a little differently in January, we could well be seeing the Ecuadorian in red and white. But it was not to be as Brighton and Hove Albion stood firm on their valuation for the player and that halted a move from happening. What was encouraging to note was that Caicedo himself trying to force a move to London.
Since his arrival to the coast of England, Caicedo has blossomed into one of the most impressive and exciting midfielders in the league. Seemingly capable of anything and everything, he would be a similar option to Rice. Having both in the same team would be something of a cheat code.
The only possible stumbling block to this move is the price that Brighton are going to ask for. They will surely be aware of the demand that will be placed on their star and would be keen on inciting a bidding war. With other teams willing to pay whatever it takes to sign someone, it will be interesting if the Gunners succeed in this pursuit.
Jorginho
Once it became clear that the north Londoners could not land Caicedo in January, they needed to do something quick. So, they turned their sights to the former Chelsea man to shore up the midfield. While this wasn’t the most exciting move they could make, it does add some invaluable experience.
Yes, there are obvious flaws with the way the italian plays but the team can help mask some of that. The club will have a decision to make in the summer as they need to think about yet another midfielder who is on the wrong side of 30. Ideally, it would benefit Arsenal to move him on. This can help free up space in the squad as well as wages that can be used on someone else.
If the club does win the league and can move the Italian on, it becomes a win win for everyone involved. The last thing you want as a young club is to have three veterans vying for the same position. The north Londoners have been better in the recent past at being ruthless with players so, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Charlie Patino
This is one youngster on whom a lot of hopes have been pinned. Currently on loan at Blackpool, the Englishman has taken everyone by surprise showing that he can adapt to a more physically demanding league. And, he is doing this while playing as the anchor in a three man midfield, similar to what Partey does.
Now, if the club wants an internal solution, this would be the ideal way to go. Since he is young, it would be okay to give Patino fewer appearances and he can also learn from the seniors. On the other hand, it can be argued that another loan spell would help round the player’s development. This is the way Arsenal handled William Saliba and look at how well that has paid off.
No matter what happens to Patino, it is great to know that the club continues to produce some elite talents. Not many clubs can boast of this luxury and so, it should be used to its full potential. Though very young, the midfielder has shown that he can get the dirty work done as well. All of this bodes well for the future of someone who is thought to be the next big thing.
Ryan Gravenberch
When the former Ajax man moved to Bayern Munich, a lot of people thought that this move had happened too soon. They have been proven right as the midfielder has hardly played and his development has stalled. Now, there are rumors that he could be on his way to the Premier League.
If there is a chance to get this done, the Gunners need to be all over this move. The Dutch international has all the makings of a world class talent. An advantage of getting the transfer done now is that you can get him for cheap. The thought of Gravenberch developing under Arteta is a mouthwatering one.
There is going to be competition with the likes of Liverpool said to be looking at him as an alternative to Jude Bellingham. That just goes to show how highly rated he is. We have to appreciate Arsenal for their ability to move on to other targets if they can’t get their primary one. The Bayern youngster could be a case of just that and if he does end up at the Emirates, the future is exciting.
Conclusion
When the north Londoners hired Arteta to get the rebuild going, they probably didn’t expect to be in this position so soon. But such is the nature of the game as you cannot really plan out these things in too much detail. So, it is important to adapt as you go forward. The midfield situation is pretty much going to be decided how much the board wants to refresh.
With such an exciting team, you do not have to add too many pieces. A couple of additions here and there will make the difference. Fans can see the effort that is being put in and their support is propelling this team even further. If you want to be part of this group, head on to https://www.seatsnet.com/index.php?dispatch=team.view&team_id=26 for your tickets.
Arsenal still have a lot to play for and might put off thinking about the midfield for some time. Regardless of what they do, Edu, the manager and the board have done enough to be trusted by the fans. That should continue for a long time.
