So Arsenal have given a new ‘long-term’ contract to Mohamed Elneny. It was announced yesterday on the official Arsenal website like this….
The midfielder has made 65 appearances for us since joining in January 2016.
He began his senior career with El Mokawloon in the Egyptian Premier League before joining Swiss club Basel in 2013, helping them to three Super League titles.
Mo is an experienced international and was part of the squad that recently helped Egypt qualify for this summer’s World Cup – their first appearance since 1990.
We would like to congratulate Mo on his new contract and look forward to his continued contribution in the coming seasons.
We all know that Elneny is a solid squad player and doesn’t play in too many games but always does his job quietly and adequately, but he is certainly no superstar in the mold of Ozil or Alexis.
Arsene Wenger has announced that he is happy with Elneny’s progress in his two years at the club and he revealed he believes he can play as a centre-back as well as in midfield. The Boss said: “He had a good pre-season, he absorbed a huge quantity of work and he takes advantage of it now, so it’s down to where he is needed,” Wenger told the official Arsenal website.
“I will use him as a central defender in a three or in midfield.
“He is a fantastic team player and he is a credit to your country if you are Egyptian. He is a fantastic boy, we love him here.
“It took him some time to adapt to the intensity of the games and I think he was not aggressive enough for the Premier League [initially].
“But now he has added that to his game. People forget that Elneny is 25 years old.
“He is not 30 – he’s still a young player and his best years are in front of him.”
Some people are saying that this contract shows that Arsenal are ‘rewarding mediocrity’ and others think that Mo is improving and could be very important for the future.
What do you think?
At worst one could argue that he is just squad player but l rate him highly. He reminds of Victor Moses who was just a squad player before Conte came in changed formations and now Moses is a different player altogether who was integral to Chelsea lifting the title last season. With a new coach and new formations l believe we can see a better Elneny.
I like elneny. He is energetic. Is pretty intelligent in his positional play and is getting Better. Has become a great squad player but Is he the player for us to hold down a regular starting place..not sure on that at the mo?
I look at him and think he our poor man’s version of William of chelski.
Should we be accepting a poor man’s version. Hell no.
He has earned the right for a contract extention and Hopefully he can now step up and progress further.
He needs to put the ball in the back of the net more but without compromising his defensive duties.
Happy for Elneny and Arsenal for the contract extension,
=poor mans William not necessarily i rely rate William his hugely underrated just shy of being World Class would love to have him at Arsenal, Elneny is our new Arteta he will fill any position AW tells him to do and he seams OK with being a sub or start up which all teams need in the squad
Sorry tas
I didn’t put it across correctly
I also love the way William plays and would welcome him to us in a heart beat. Would William make us a better team.. damn right
If elneny could reach his levels then I would be over the moon.
What we need is more quality rather then keep wasting money on quality and then see who can step up
We haven’t the players or time to keep waiting
??
Yes, you guys have said a lot., and it all.
Although, I want him to still improve in tackles and aggression going forward, so to get more assists.
\meanwhile, a shooting at goal training would not be bad, everyone knows he loves to shoot, but not good at it.
GREAT squad player.
The ball control of Arteta with the engine of Ramsey (without the dodgy harmstring) and an exemplary attitude.
Very useful for the team and he’ll still progress the more he plays in the PL as well.
he is a hard worker and has ability and time to improve. Yes keep him in squad.
However we still need to sign better central midfielders if we want to compete with the best.
Our attack is pretty much sorted (we could use another attacker) but must sort out Defense and back of central midfield
Innit, Good summation.
OT: Would Julian Nagelsmann be a bad replacement for Wenger? I know that he’s still young but I see a lot of potential in him.
No one would be a bad replacement for Wenger
Mourinho will be out of a job soon and Roberto Manchini is sniffing around with those two we definitely would go back wards lets get Arteta for a season and see
Would have to disagree with you on this …for now
He is still learning his trade with pep who I may say is the best teacher around at the moment
We need a guy who can hit the ground running for us from day one
We can’t have a potential who is going to be a novice at a our club
We have lost some much ground on the top 5 that is is becoming embarrassing
Winning a cup or two only papers over the cracks
Which he might do..
We need to be giving the top two a run for there money and challenging until the last week of the season, not giving up the ghosts in decemember
Him as a no. 2 along side a serial winner might work as a long term view but have the board got the vision to look beyond just making money.
when AW finally steps down or kicked out there will be no hiding from these guys
They better pick the right guy or it will be deju vu for another 10 seasons..
he is a good squad player.he deserves a good contract.
GREAT squad player.He was very good with Bale and Egypt ,he ‘s showing latly a lot of class for us.Same as Granit Xhaka
Mohammed Elneny is a very good player, especially as a central mieldfield player.Very solid and dependable, and a good marker.Another plus for him is that he is very versatile.Just the kind of player Arsenal need.He is also not injury prone,unlike most of our other mieldfielders. And he is improving with every game he plays.Good for us that he has signed a new contract.
agreed thumbs up
I like Elneny, he always runs and works hard for the whole time he is on the pitch. He’s done really well when he plays Alos. He’s young and can only get better. He’s better than Xhaka who cost 35 million. He don’t give ball away like Xhaka and his work rate is exemplary. Well done to him on his new contract, he’s earned it not like others. But still need a top center back, a top midfielder and a keeper. Lacazette will come good in new season. But should play him up front with Aubs and between them will get loads of goals. But we need another Cazorla player who can create goals with Ozil. But congratulations to Elneny.
I don’t know why people are complaining about this deal. He’s not the kind of guy that you’ll make a highlights package of but he does his job and doesn’t let people down.. the definition of what you want and need in a squad player..
He deserves the new contract.He is a players player who does not get enough playing time due to Wengers obsession with xhaka who cost seven times as much.I think he could develop into a more constructive midfielder as he showed recently against Watford when he was the best player on the pitch.
OT at least Lacazette is back in full training.. ready for CSKA
Certainly, there is something wrong with many of Arsenal’s fans. Will Elneny break into the midfield of any of the teams currently sitting above Arsenal on the table.
I will not be surprised if Wilshere is allowed to go, while we keep Elneny. This is the sad situation at the Emirates.
Good player, improved greatly, glad he’s not being shipped out.
Also good to see Laca back in training, sorely needed for Europa League.
I like his attitude.
What he lacks in talent he makes up with by trying as much as he can.
Good squad player.
I like him at the moment. Ultimately I would prefer a more destructive DM with more forward abilities (Matic?, Konte?) but sadly IMO he is the best we have got in the team. I prefer him over Xhaka and neither Ramsey nor Wilshire have the discipline to be DMs.
I’m going to be blunt, he is arguably better for our team than the so called superstar Jack Wilshere. He plays well and often passes forward incisively unlike Wilshere who runs forward, loses the ball and either gets injured, or creates an opposition counter attack. I think certain players get put on an undeserved pedestal that can end up being a millstone round their neck. Wilshere isn’t worth 120k a week, and I hope he doesn’t get it! He’s decent, but he’s not world class because he isn’t consistent. All just my opinion of course..
I like Elneny and he thoroughly deserves a long contract. I’m a bit sick of so called flair players who either upset the team, or become overrated very quickly and add little to the team over a long period.
On another note, I see ‘lone wolf’ Sanchez has fitted in well at Man U. Not.
Even though I agree with your comments. I’m not sure I would have said that. People are not in the mood for intelligent comments. Ranting seems to win the day, more often than not.
Amazing! Unanimous support for Elneny’s new contract and goes to show that if you give 100% on the pitch, the fans are with you. A very good squad player who has improved a lot this season and does the job with a smile on his face – definitely not a prima donna. At 25 he can only get better with the right coaching and, unlike Jack, is not injury prone.
Good comment
Didn’t he do a post on Instagram tagging all of the Arsenal players going to the world cup, then tagged Alexis Sanchez and said sorry no place for you? ?? that alone deserves a new contract loool ?
That was brilliant ?
That was stupid…he should get his new contract when he realize that its end of the march and that Sanchez left long time ago…until then he should get some head examination..
Elneny posted that few months ago, when Sanchez was still at Arsenal, but it was already obvious that he doesn’t wanna stay
I take a totally different view from the large majority on here who appear happy for Elneny to have his contract extended. It seems I am just far more ambitious( than them) for our club than to settle for players of this severely limited capacity. Ask yourselves would Elneny get in the squad of ANY of the five teams above us this season. The honest answer- and who wants to deceive THEMSELVES- is surely, NO, NONE OF THEM!
We are trying to rebuild, post Wenger(very soon now; a matter of a few weeks at most) so why keep his dross around? It makes no sense at all to me, unless you really believe a club of our HUGE global standing can not attract players worlds better than “bits and pieces” Elneny. I think you all know, in your hearts , this is the actual truth.
Further to my own post above, several have justified keeping Elneny by saying he is more reliable than Wilshere, Ramsey, injurywise. But most want Jack and Aaron out too. I would actually let Wilshere go , albeit reluctantly, because of his injury prone nature and am 50/50 only on wanting Ramsey kept. Merely being less injury prone than these two men of glass is hardly a proper reason for wanting a severely limited player to be kept. We CAN and WILL do far better than all these players, once Wenger is history. Someone also preferred him to Xhaka. Well I, too, prefer a common cold to pneumonia!
Make your mind up JON.If we had a poll here of keeping El Neny, the “majority” would be happy of his conractual extension.but in your fickle mind Wenger should leave because of the”majority”rubbish and now this “majority”lack ambition…..
EL NENY by the way is not a box to box to compare him to Wilshere and Ramsey.While you’r at it, compare him to Ozil or Aubameyang……
PIRES, for the final time, I will waste no more of my valuable time debating with you. Unless you continue insulting me as you have here, in which case I will reply in kind, but far more effectively, given my use of effective English and your lack of it. Just find someone else to bore with your foolish “thoughts.”
i never insult my fellow arsenal fans, read my posts again…..
That’s not true, he would easily get in all theirs SQUADS, simply not their starting XI, which he rarely do at Arsenal as well.
Then you actually think such as Guardiola, Mourinho, Conte etc would let him anywhere near their own first team squads? Well, this is a rhetorical question , since you have already said you “think” they “easily”would! Little point me wasting more of my time discussing with the likes of you then.
Admitting that you can’t actually debate and argue the point. Noted!
A simple look at their SQUADS, which is what is being discussed here shows you plenty of players in the same league as Elneny.
It was reported Elneney turned down the opportunity to sign for Leicester before the season started as he did not wish to drop a level and was in love with Arsenal Football Club.We should be proud the club is held is held in such high esteem but the player and if he wishes to sign to be a squad player I absolutely welcome this contract extension.However Elneny is very basic in his overall displays.You have to ask if he has the ability to affect games,most especially against the clubs that are regarded as bigger than us(albeit at the moment.
Well Elneny played at Wembley v Spuds in league and was embarrassingly outclassed that day (to be fair as were most of the players-you twat Wenger)He was played in his perceived best position as a CDM and to say he was ineffective is a complete understatement.Yes he does have qualities(of a sort).Yes he does offer commitment and passion on the pitch when he is played.But he also has poor qualities that stand out in the games.
He is NOT the answer to our midfield problem area. He is therefore what we are looking for to solve our midfield issues.We will require better players than Elneny to get us out of this S**T FEST we are in due solely to Wengers continued mismanagement of the club.WHEN we can announce a new World Class CDM to the club signed by a new progressive and forward thinking Manager then this will be the time to celebrate any signing of a player.Untilsuch time we treat this Elneney deal with the enthusiasm it deserves-which is DISDAIN and not OPTIMISM
Jon
the game is all about opinions
some are happy he signed, some don’t want him (yourself)
only time will tell now who was right! but at the end of the day the common denominator we have on here is that we want to be successful and win the league again, which I am afraid we wont under this present regime i.e AW and his staff
lets not attack people who don’t share the same views as you, even though it might frustrate the hell out of yourself
lets all look forward with envigorated enthusiasm to the changing of the guard
Jon fox I think Elneny is much better then Fellaini and Morhino plays him when fit
Jon, I want Wenger out as much as you do. But I think, there is a case to argue, that quite a lot of our players have been performing under their potential in most matches due to a mixture of:
– An unbalanced team selection
– Wrong tactics
– Undemanding coaching
– Being played in wrong positions
– Lack of confidence due to the lack of results stemming from the above
Those players should be given a new chance under a new coach with modern football on his agenda. I am confident many of them can turn out to be much better, than we have seen, including Elneny.
AndersS, you are right in that Elmeny, like others in the squad, has been chopped and changed and not given a chance to settle in a postion. He is what we should appreciate as an “excellent club man”.
Excellent squad player who I think would also get into the team’s squads around and above us. Hard working, great engine, good range of passes and not bad in the air. Only thing that lets him down sometimes is positioning but that’s down to bad coaching and the stupid zonal marking sytem we play.
I am happy we keep him. He has the right attitude, and paired with the right players in midfield, he can be very valuable. Works extremely hard and is a good passer and a decent ball winner. We need some of those in a team as well. With the right coaching he can develop to get even better.
A good decision……….he earned the new contract …..even in a limited playing time……….good team player…….
”People forget that Elneny is 25 years old . He is not 30 – he’s still a young player and his best years are in front of him.”
OMG Arsene thanks for this I could die tomorrow without knowing this fact! FFS!!
How about : Wenger thinks people forget that he is nearly 70 years old . He is not 40 or 50 and his best years are long behind him.
Elneny? IMO…Squad player at best.
He consistently plays better than Xhaka and should start instead of him.
No mislaid passes
No multiple 40 yard screamers in row Z every game
Less bookings
Plus he’s more active, gets about more, and offers more protection to the back four. I think he’ll go from good to great in a few year’s time.
Allot more kind words than I expected /hearing/reading from the top down. I’ve always thought Elneny a decent squad player, but I must re-evaluate things because this is one of the weakest Arsenal central midfield known from my memory. Some likable players and maybe only one player consistently pulling his weight this season, maybe two if you count a late two to three month period and ignore the bad performances (though he has had more good ones). But nothing to be sure with on the quality it takes to be champion. Elneny is closer to the first team than I’d like, he’s rightfully behind Aaron Jack and Xhaka depending on needs, but they should be the midway buffer to Elneny’s game time if you ask me. I reckon Elneny could give more, he plays a high enough tempo but has any of us really seen him push himself, too calm and collected at times when you need some aggression and half chances.