Friday, March 29, 2024

Should Morgan Schneiderlin be Arsenal’s priority defensive midfield signing?

So it’s coming close to that time of the year where so many Arsenal fans have high expectations of a big marquee signing but have been constantly let down by not splashing the cash on the big name players, it is of course summer where most transfer business takes place.

Last summer was one of both highs and lows in terms of transfer dealings. On the plus side, we gained a world class player in Mesut Ozil but met a dead end when the much talked about bid for Luis Suarez failed and a late attempt to loan Demba Ba also got rebuffed. Fans will be thinking that the capture of Ozil for 42.5 million pounds may be the sign of things to come and that this summer more cash will be splashed to finally give ourselves the best opportunity for major trophies such as the Premier League and European Success and with that comes players linked to Arsenal on a daily basis.

One of those players and the main topic of conversation, is Southamptons Morgan Schneiderlin. It is known to all fans of the Premier League, especially Arsenal fans, that the team has lacked muscle around the centre of the park, somebody to break up the play and to be the shield in front of the back four. Mikel Arteta has covered this role since signing from Everton back in 2011 but has often been overpowered in the big games. At 32 years of age, Mikel has showed at times that age is getting the better of him when younger players on the opposing teams are simply turning him over on pace and power. Mikel is best in a game when Arsenal are playing the smaller teams where he can lay of simple balls and keep the team ticking over but when being run at, against teams like Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea this season, has crumbled.

It is not a secret that Arsenal have been linked with Schneiderlin at every given chance and with the position of defensive midfielder up for grabs for next season, its only right that he is continuing to be linked with the move to North London. Schneiderlin has many attributes needed in order to make the step up and join Arsenal. He is the type of player that is not afraid to put a tackle in, you may remember the crunching but well timed tackle on Ozil earlier on in the season! Being French instantly likens him to former and current Arsenal players, one of those being Patrick Vieira, a man who if he was a couple of years younger and still playing, may well find himself also being linked to fill the vacant defensive midfield slot. Morgan knows the Premier League well having marshaled that central midfield role for Southampton for the past 2 years in the top flight but as we know, players moving within England often come at an inflated price. At 24, he is the perfect age where he won’t need to be nurtured or sent out on loan like many signings have done through the years and will be soon coming into his prime where as of yet, has still been overlooked for his first cap for the French National team. This will probably be a bonus for Arsene as this may keep the cost down by quite a bit but if he is to get a World Cup place, and manages to play and turn in some good shifts, will make him known to more and more teams across Europe, especially the big spenders of Monaco and PSG in France.

The big question is however, is there better out there? Hearing the different names linked on a daily basis, we all have different opinions on who would be best. For me, Paul Pogba is one of the biggest talents to play in that position in European football. Having seen his numerous times this season, would be my preferred choice but obviously it’s not just a case of bidding and receiving. Pogba would cost perhaps a large proportion of our budget but with a number of players nearing the end of their contracts, there may well be space for him on the wage bill and to tempt Juventus into selling. Having said that, Juventus are clear for the title in Serie A and have turned the corner big time since being relegated due to match fixing and will be back amongst the big boys in the Champions League next season and are still in with a shout of lifting the Europa League this season. Pogba oozes strength and determination and reminds me of Yaya Toure when playing, and at just 21 years of age, already has 8 caps for the French senior national team. Another player who may make the switch to the Premier League is Lars Bender, currently playing for Leverkusen in Germany. To me, this would make the most sense if he was to sign for Arsenal. At 25 and over 6 foot tall, fits the bill to perfection. With the ongoing influx of German talent into Arsenal over the years, this could just be another one to add to the list alongside Per, Serge, Lukas and of course, Mesut. These players seem to have a real bond and adding another German international may just make that bond even stronger.

Of course cementing top 4 is key and will be the deciding factor whether or not the big talents will look to Arsenal for a new opportunity. So of the 3 players named, personally Pogba is my preferred choice but would be quite happy seeing Morgan or Lars represent The Arsenal next season.

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Photo via Ronnie Macdonald

 

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