Nabil Fekir
According to Spanish outlet AS (h/t ESPN), Arsenal have turned their attention to Real Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir. This comes after the Gunners saw transfer target Emiliano Buendia join Aston Villa for a £33million fee. One hurdle that has arisen in the negotiations is the transfer fee.
The report mentions that the Gunners would have to raise their initial offer, which is believed to be around £20million. The Frenchman was very close to joining Liverpool all the way back in 2018 but the move broke down in the 11th hour. Here, we see why Arsenal should finally bring Fekir to the Premier League.
Arsenal could be short on midfielders by the time the next Premier League season starts. The report states that Martin Odegaard and Dani Ceballos are both unlikely to return on loan. And as if that isn’t bad enough news for Gunners fans, Granit Xhaka has also been linked with a move away from the Emirates.
As per a report by Sky Sports earlier this week, AS Roma are in advanced talks with the Swiss midfielder over a transfer. So if Arteta manages to lose Xhaka to Jose Mourinho, the Gunners could be really short in midfield.
And they can use some experience too. Emile Smith Rowe, a talented 20-year-old attacking midfielder, has only one proper season of first-team action under his belt. Apart from that, the Gunners saw Joe Willock, 21, return from his loan spell at Newcastle United. Hence, Arteta should look to add experience in the midfield.
This way, the youngsters can develop to their full potential without being burdened and pressured into taking over an important starting role at an early age. And with Arteta clearly having an affinity towards a 4-2-3-1, you would think that an attacking midfielder in the transfer window would be of importance to the club.
Nabil Fekir can help by taking over the No.10 slot from Odegaard. This would free up Joe Willock and Smith Rowe to play in central midfield, a position where the latter has played in before, and cover up the potential loss of Xhaka departing the club- if he does end up leaving.
The Gunners would also want to finally pin down a long-term replacement in the attacking midfield role for Mesut Ozil. A top playmaker during his heyday, Ozil was banished from the first team in his final seasons at the club and finally sold to Fenerbahce in January 2021. And it’s not like Arsenal haven’t tried it before.
According to football.london, attacking midfielder Julian Brandt of Borussia Dortmund was seen as a potential replacement for Ozil before Arsenal loaned in Odegaard.
That, coupled with their aforementioned pursuit of Buendia, clearly indicates that Arteta wants a playmaker in his team, and Fekir presents himself as a good option. And he is one midfielder that Arsenal should consider breaking the bank for.
At 27, they could very well get themselves a player capable of playing in the No.10 role as well as the wings for a number of years to come.
If the Gunners are to break into the top-4 again, transfer window would play an important role in it. Fekir is one useful addition to their squad that they should consider buying in the summer.
