Mikel Arteta is preparing a midfield revamp this summer, with rumours of signing at least two midfielders, one to compete with Partey and Jorginho for the No. 6 spot and another to replace the departing Granit Xhaka. With these two midfield swoops completed, one could argue that Arsenal’s midfield will be even better next season. Is this true?
Arsenal’s midfield could still remain unsettled until we find another star as a trustworthy backup to Odegaard. What if Arsenal’s No. 8 suffers a long-term injury, the club would struggle so I suggest that the Gunners should pursue a deal for Joao Felix.
Felix is poised to return to Atletico Madrid after his loan spell at Chelsea expires, since Pochettino is unwilling to include him in his Chelsea plans. Lee believes the Atletico Madrid man is the greatest candidate to play the Odegaard job and that he may even play better and rise to the occasion on important occasions, and we could have a potential battle between Odegaard and Felix for a spot in Arteta’s starting 11.
As Lee Gunner said on the Football Terrace: “Odegaard. People will say, “But he scored 15 goals.” Name one big team he scored against, one decent team this season he scored against. Newcastle, I’ll give you that; other than that, what has he done?
“Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, teams like that—he doesn’t score against the big teams. I’ll take Felix at Arsenal in a heartbeat. And not only that, even when you say when they’re all fit, we’re trying to build a squad. Why can’t Odegaard have a player challenge him?
“Why can’t [Gabriel] Jesus or Eddie [Nketiah] have another player challenging? Why can’t [Gabriel] Martinelli or [Bukayo] Saka have players challenging? People are saying I’m nuts; I couldn’t care less at the end of the day. If Odegaard gets injured, we’re putting Fabio Vieira in; are you telling me he’s better than Joao Felix?”
Here’s my reaction to Lee’s comments: With 15 goals and 8 assists in 45 games, I don’t see Odegaard losing his starting berth in Arteta’s lineup. Felix may be a good addition, and Arsenal should take advantage of Atletico Madrid’s indecision over him. If Felix is available at a low cost, Arsenal should sign him and use him as an option off the bench or in cup competitions. His versatility could help Arsenal compete for the Premier League title next season, as he could be the perfect option during squad rotation.
Do you think Arsenal will need a reliable backup to Odegaard next season, especially with Champions League games on the horizon?
Daniel O
Michelle Maxwell
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