Why Arsenal should move for Thiago amid Liverpool links
According to Mail (h/t The Sun), Arsenal are planning to hijack Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara’s proposed move to Liverpool.
The 29-year-old has agreed to personal terms with Liverpool but the Premier League champions are unwilling to match Bayern’s £29m asking price for the Spaniard.
As per the report, Arsenal are willing to take advantage of the situation, with manager Mikel Arteta preparing for a squad reshuffle this summer. However, the Gunners are also reluctant to stump up the full cash amount for Thiago.
Profile
Widely regarded as one of the best central midfielders in Europe, Thiago hardly needs an introduction to any football fan across the globe. The 29-year-old made over 100 appearances for Barcelona earlier in his career, winning two La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League before joining Bayern Munich back in the summer of 2013.
Thiago has won the Bundesliga title in each of his seven seasons at the Allianz Arena while also playing his part in four DFB Pokal triumphs. The Spain international was instrumental in Bayern’s triumphant Champions League campaign this past season as Hansi Flick’s side completed the continental treble after winning the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal.
The midfielder has accumulated an impressive tally of 31 goals and 37 assists in 235 appearances for Bayern across all competitions so far. Those are impressive returns considering that Thiago has largely played in box-to-box and holding roles over the course of his Bundesliga career.
Arsenal’s changing midfield scenario
Arsenal aren’t really short of midfielders at the moment but the scenario could change in the coming weeks, with the transfer window expected to heat up.
Lucas Torreira has been linked with a move to AC Milan after playing a bit-part role last season. Matteo Guendouzi is also likely to be sold by the Gunners after the Frenchman fell out with Arteta following his sending off against Brighton.
Dani Ceballos, who spent the 2019/20 season on loan at the Emirates, managed to establish himself as a key cog in Arsenal’s midfield engine. The North Londoners have expressed their desire to strike a permanent deal for the Spaniard but a final decision on that is yet to be made.
With a move to bring Ceballos back yet to be finalized and the futures of Torreira and Guendouzi up in the air, the Gunners could well be set for some radical changes to their midfield unit this summer.
Why Thiago could be the answer
An epitome of consistency and a proven performer at the highest level, Thiago certainly has the quality and experience under his belt to add another dimension to Arsenal’s midfield.
The 29-year-old’s glowing track record of goals and assists coupled with his versatility to switch between No.8 and No.6 roles should make him a definite upgrade on the likes of Torreira and Guendouzi.
Moreover, the Spaniard is a serial winner, having won 24 major trophies with Bayern and Barcelona over the course of his illustrious career. Hence, Arteta needs to look at him as someone who could inject some much-needed winning mentality into the squad besides adding a lot of value in footballing terms.
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Verdict
Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup final sealed qualification to next season’s Europa League. However, Arteta needs to find a way to put an end to the club’s long exile from the Champions League, which is definitely very important from a financial perspective and also when it comes to keeping hold of the best players.
A two-time winner of Europe’s elite club competition, Thiago still has plenty of football left in him at 29 and he could well be the statement signing that the Gunners so desperately need.
