Arsene Wenger is set to receive a huge transfer kitty this summer as the club look to put together a squad to challenge on all fronts next-term. A striker is of course the major priority, but Wenger may also feel he needs another holding midfielder. Khedira and Schnederlein have been the main two players touted to fill the role , and either of them would provide more assurance in front of the Arsenal back-four. Arteta and Flamini’s influence is gradually waining and they are reaching the back end of their careers, so a replacement is definitely needed, particularly after the drubbings we took in the key away games last year, where more protection of the defence could’ve come in handy.
It is rumoured that Real madrid no longer want the 27 year-old midfield enforcer Sami khedira, and should this be the case he’ll supposedly only be available for £16 million. This would be a steal, particularly as the transfer market conditions are so currently inflated. Khedira has only just returned from a serious cruciate ligament injury which kept him out for most of the season, and Wenger’s decision on signing him will probably depend on his performances in the world cup and how he recovers from his injury. Khedira’s condition will have to be monitored carefully, particularly as he only made 13 La Liga appearances last term. With the ever revolving door of players that leave and depart the Galaticos it would hardly be surprising to see khedira leave. His displays have often been under appreciated by the difficult to please Madrid crowd and his absence wouldn’t be a particularly significant one. However though, Khedira was an important cog in the Madrid side at times and he incorporated his physical presence well to recycle possession and start off attacks. This is the type of player Arsenal need, someone who can quickly break up opposition attacks and push the team on offensively from a deep position. Another factor that could influence the signature of Khedira is the ever growing contingent of Germans at the club, who could hopefully persuade or influence the Turkish born German’s decision to join the club.
Morgan Schneiderlein would also be another good alternative to fill the holding midfield role. He’d probably be a tad cheaper and has already stated that he’d like to move to a bigger club. He’s more of a tackler and athlete than Sami Khedira and is able to use his speed well to recover quickly to get back and help out his defence. Schnederlein has been called up to the France squad as a late inclusion due to an injury to Clement Grenier, should he be selected it’ll be interesting to see how he performs on the big stage, and this could be a key influence in Wenger’s decision to sign him. Schnederlein is also more of an attacking force, having scored more goals and made more chances over the last two seasons.
Ultimately the holding midfield position is one the Gunners need to strengthen. I’d be happy with either of these two options, but of the two Khedira would be my preference as he is more experienced and has more pedigree at the top level. Schnederlein may be slightly better going forward, his price tag being smaller also, however though he’s not proven at the top level and there is no guarantee that he is actually better than what we already have, although he does have age on his side.