According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have completed the signing of Denis Suarez on loan from Barcelona for a fee of £2million, with an option to make the deal permanent for £18million at the end of the season.
Suarez has extended his contract with Barcelona till 2021 but the Gunners will have the option of signing him permanently. (Sky Sports)
Suarez was signed by Manchester City back in 2011 but he departed for Barcelona in 2013 after making just a single League Cup appearance. The Spaniard previously worked with Unai Emery at Sevilla in his loan spell during the 2014-15 season, where they won the Europa League together.
Arsenal were only in the market for loan signings due to lack of funds and the Gunners should breathe a sigh of relief after getting their hands on an exciting and versatile attacker from Barcelona. The fact that the gaffer knows him well should help him acclimatise to the new surroundings better.
The Gunners have exceeded expectations in what was supposed to be a season of transition under Emery. The manager has brought that aggressive mentality and the belief among the players to fight tooth and nail with other top clubs in the league.
The Gunners were in dire need of bolstering their squad with some fresh faces in January. Their season has been blighted to a large extent by recurrent injuries to several of their key players, which prompted the need for reinforcements to guide the club to a top-four finish.
And Denis Suarez certainly fits the bill. He is a technically gifted player who can play in multiple positions across the attacking third. While the Spaniard is essentially a central attacking midfielder by trade, he is equally adept at playing out in the wide positions, particularly on the left where he likes to operate as an inverted winger.
With his ability to play as a number 10, he can be a perfect replacement for Mesut Ozil in the team. Meanwhile, Suarez will also provide cover for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who is recovering from long-term injury and hasn’t really blossomed in the Arsenal shirt.
Suarez is a fast, agile and creative playmaker whose main attributes are his vision, intelligence, awareness and flawless passing. He knows how to exploit the gaps between the full-backs and the centre-backs and can also be creative between the lines. Furthermore, he is the sort of player who has the ability to dribble at pace and create space with intricate touches and subtle movement.
Arsenal definitely look a lot more well-stocked in the attacking third with him in the squad. With Chelsea faltering in recent weeks, the Gunners should grab this opportunity with both hands and establish themselves as the favourites to claim the final Champions League qualification spot.
That being said, they have struck gold with the signing of Suarez and shouldn’t hesitate to exercise the buy clause in the deal next summer, if the Spaniard proves his mettle on the pitch.