The Welshman was a consistent presence in Arsene Wenger’s teams but now with his contract winding down and no sign of a new deal being signed, it looks like his time at the Emirates Stadium may be over.
Sky Sports revealed a few months ago that the 27-year-old was going to leave Arsenal on a free-transfer and Unai Emery needs to find a way to replace him.
The Welshman has made 350 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 60 goals and producing a further 57 assists across all competitions and replacing that will be easier said than done. His contributions have been crucial over the last few years, with him becoming an integral part of Wenger’s squad. That being said, here are three potential players who can replace him at Arsenal.
The 20-year-old has been linked by Metro.com to replace the outgoing Welshman, and it’s no surprise why, given how well Aouar has been playing with Lyon. A central midfielder by trade, Aouar has the ability to play across the midfield line, but it’s his attacking abilities that make him a very valuable to the Gunners.
His season with Lyon has been impressive so far, having scored six goals and provided a further four assists in all competitions, but it has been his Champions League performances that have impressed scouts. The Frenchman was impressive against Manchester City and Hoffenheim, both home and away, with Pep Guardiola lavishing him with praise.
This simply adds to his value and Unai Emery may have a tough time prying the 20-year-old from the Ligue 1 giants.
He impressed the world at Anderlecht and earned a big money move to AS Monaco in the summer of 2017, impressing for the Ligue 1 giants. The 21 year old even earned a call-up for Russia 2018, playing and making an impact for Belgium, which has brought the world to his attention.
A brilliant central midfielder, Tielemans would be a perfect replacement for Aaron Ramsey in the near future, and his offensive abilities outdo what Ramsey had at that age. He’s silky with the ball and has a brilliant eye for a pass and even a goal if and when required.
What Arsenal need, however, will be his tireless running up, combined with his defensive abilities make him a worthy transfer target. The question, however, is will AS Monaco let him go, if Unai Emery does make a move in the near future?
While he is inconsistent at times, Zelinski’s talent is undoubtedly but his desire to improve himself that makes him a brilliant target and replacement for Aaron Ramsey. While he does prefer to play closer to a striker than Ramsey does, it’s his versatility to play across the midfield line that improves and adds to his value.
Not only that, at 24, Zelinski hasn’t even hit his peak years yet and yet the Polish star has impressed by going above and beyond for Napoli over the last few years. What could be a road-block however, will be his price tag with Napoli and president Aurelio de Laurentiis valuing the 24-year-old very highly.
However, if Arsenal are willing to shell the £58 million for the midfielder, then they will a player worth every penny and a long-term replacement for the Welshman.