Ever since he signed for the Gunners, Jorginho seems to have been a topic of debate and speculation.
He started as ‘Agent Jorginho’ after he signed when the Gunners were 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League, only for the team to go on and lose the title. Then in the summer, as the club embarked on a recruitment drive, there was speculation he could be allowed to leave to free up wages for new signings.
Now, this season, Jorginho has barely featured for Arteta’s team in the opening month of fixtures. But with the Champions League on the horizon, is all that about to change?
The Gunners have a chance of Champions League success
Manchester City and Bayern Munich lead the way in the latest Champions League winner betting. City are 2/1, and Bayern are 11/2. But it would appear that the bookmakers see Arsenal as potential winners, as the Gunners are the 10/1 fourth favourites in the latest football betting odds. This also puts them behind Real Madrid, who are 8/1, but the Gunners are in elite company and have shorter odds than PSG (12/1).
Jorginho brings Champions League experience and know-how
When the Champions League gets underway towards the end of September, Mikel Arteta will be forced to dig deep into his squad. A group which includes Sevilla, PSV and Lens is more than winnable. And to be competitive, the club has signed a lot of young up-and-coming players to increase the quality and also build up the numbers.
But after six years away from the competition, the Gunners squad isn’t the most experienced at this level. This could be where a player like Jorginho could be crucial. The Italian international has experience playing in this competition, including a winner’s medal in 2021. He knows what it’s all about, and his presence could be crucial for the Gunners.
Why do fans question Arteta’s judgement?
When Mikel Arteta signed Jorginho in January, a lot of fans were quick to stick the boot in and question the signing. But when Pep Guardiola signed Jorginho’s former club teammate Mateo Kovačić, in the summer transfer window, the same scrutiny wasn’t given to the transfer, although a few eyebrows were raised.
People don’t seem to criticise Guardiola in this way. Okay, he has a trophy cabinet to back it up. But fans have to realise that the two Spaniards are similar, and are thinking along the same lines.
Can Jorginho win over his doubters?
Such is the 24-hour social media-dominated world we now live in, Jorginho will still no doubt have his critics. If he can perform and nail down a place in the team, he might be able to win them over.
The Champions League may just give him the platform to do just that.
Whether he plays a significant role in the team Arteta puts out in Europe or gets a more prominent role in the Premier League team as the squad gets stretched, there should be a window of opportunity for Jorginho to win over the Arsenal fans who are still not convinced.
Surely he could be a mainstay in the ECL, especially in the Group Stages where Arteta is sure to heavily rotate his talented squad?