LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 29: Mohamed Elneny of Arsenal in action during the UEFA Europa League Group B stage match between Arsenal FC and Dundalk FC at Emirates Stadium on October 29, 2020 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
According to Daily Mail, Mohamed Elneny could be rewarded with a new contract by Arsenal after forcing his way into Mikel Arteta’s side and performing admirably. The Egyptian almost looks like a player reborn under the Spaniard and has impressed one and all after a year away from the club.
The 28-year-old Egyptian midfielder started playing youth football at Al Ahly, an Egyptian club, in 1997 and then moved to Al Mokawloon in 2008. After spending 2 seasons with the U-19 side, he was promoted to the senior team.
He played a total of 39 games for them while scoring and assisting thrice. FC Basel was his first venture in Europe. In 144 appearances for the Swiss side, he scored 10 goals and assisted 14 (h/t Transfermarkt).
Arsenal signed him midway through the 2015-16 season. However, Elneny never looked like he settled into the first-team. He made sporadic appearances in the league, while mostly featuring in cup ties. He has 100 appearances for the Gunners so far.
Last season, he was sent on loan to Besiktas and managed to feature 36 times for them. He has played in 11 of Arsenal’s games so far this season. Elneny is a veteran in his national team with 77 appearances and 6 goals to his name.
When Arsenal lined up for their season opener against Fulham in the opening weekend of the Premier League, there was perhaps one name that perhaps befuddled fans and pundits alike. A certain Mohamed Elneny, who Arsenal fans thought they’d never see wearing the club’s jersey again, was there right in the heart of their midfield.
While it might have been a huge surprise to see Elneny start for Arsenal, it is not without a reason. Mikel Arteta has very few viable options in midfield. Mesut Ozil hasn’t kicked a ball in ages. Matteo Guendouzi has been offloaded on loan. While Thomas Partey has arrived from Atletico Madrid, Lucas Torreira has gone the other way to join the La Liga side.
This leaves the club with a handful of names in central midfield such as Dani Ceballos, Granit Xhaka, Joe Willock and Elneny himself, along with new signing Partey. Now that’s quite a small contingent of midfielders for a club competing in so many competitions this season. Elneny is the only backup defensive midfielder that Arteta has at his disposal after Partey.
The Egyptian has featured in11 of Arsenal’s games this season, which shows Mikel Arteta is open to the idea of keeping him in the squad and also providing him with a decent amount of game time. In a season where games will come thick and fast, it will be vital for Arsenal to have a player like Elneny, who can slog out quite some games in the absence of Xhaka, Ceballos, or Partey.
While that might have been the case for some, Elneny has gone out there and grabbed his chances. He has formed a good partnership with Partey in midfield and he presses the opposition to suffocate them of space and passing options. His full powers were on display in the game against Manchester United where he kept chasing every ball and pressed with vigour.
Elneny has had a long journey at Arsenal from being a sporadic player to being sent out on loan to finally starting games on a regular basis. Mikel Arteta was full of praise for the midfielder after his showing at Old Trafford (h/t Independent). And, it is clear that the player deserves one after all that he has done this season.
