It may be about time Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta finally secured the ideal replacement for Granit Xhaka, pushing his Arsenal project to the next level.
After a superb 2022/23 campaign as Arsenal’s left central midfielder (LCM), Granit Xhaka opted to leave the club. Arsenal were left with the challenge of finding someone capable of replicating Xhaka’s defensive and attacking contributions, which had empowered their left-hand side.
During the 2023 summer transfer window, Arteta identified Kai Havertz as Xhaka’s successor. Unfortunately, Havertz struggled to impress in the role. Interestingly, he thrived as Arsenal’s number nine, relinquishing the LCM position.
With Havertz’s positional switch, Declan Rice stepped in as LCM and performed decently in the role. However, the need for a specialist LCM remained one of Arsenal’s priorities for the summer of 2024.
Mikel Merino, signed from Real Sociedad, emerged as the potential answer to Arsenal’s LCM issue. Months into the 28-year-old’s Arsenal career, some Gooners remain unconvinced of his impact in the position. In fact, much like Havertz, Merino—following injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Havertz—has been appreciated more while playing as the striker.
Post-Xhaka, Arsenal still appear to lack an LCM who can truly make the position their own.
Adding to the dilemma is the club’s difficulty in signing their top midfield targets this summer. Martin Zubimendi is heavily tipped to join Real Madrid, while Bruno Guimaraes presents a significant challenge given Arsenal’s pursuit of Alexander Isak. It’s unlikely Newcastle would sell both Isak and Guimaraes, meaning Arsenal may need to prioritise their striking needs by signing Isak.
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Ultimately, Mikel Arteta may need to finally unleash Declan Rice as Arsenal’s number six. Signed to play in that role, Rice may now have to take over from Thomas Partey and Jorginho after spending two years at the club.
This March international break has offered a glimpse of what Rice could achieve in a deeper role, as he excelled in such a position under Thomas Tuchel—a hint of what Arsenal fans can expect from him as their number six.
Sorting the LCM issue this summer could allow Arsenal’s midfield to finally evolve—a step that arguably should have been taken in 2023.
With Mikel Merino, Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, and potentially Partey (should he stay) as midfield backups, Arsenal could boast one of their strongest midfields next season with the right LCM signing.
One might ask: which LCM could this be? Teun Koopmeiners, Bilal El Khannouss, and Lucas Paquetá are all players the Gunners should consider.
What are your thoughts Gooners?
Michelle M
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“Ultimately, Mikel Arteta may need to finally unleash Declan Rice as Arsenal’s number six. Signed to play in that role…”
Unleashed to play a more restricted role? And that’s a bit of an assumption – partey had been one of our best players in the years prior, so I thought he’d likely be playing in xhakas role, or something similar, seeing as xhaka had just left. Personally, I think rice has been fantastic in the role he has, with a bit of freedom to use his instincts in both directions – don’t see a real need to change that significantly. Playing him at CDM makes use of his defensive nouse, but not so much his athleticism, which enables him to contribute all over the pitch, and probably restricts his improving abilities to deliver balls into the box and arrive on the edge for shooting opportunities.
I wouldn’t touch Pacqueta with a barge pole. He wants Zubimendi to sit and play pretty sideways passes, so Declan will carry on running up and down as he has been. And we aren’t getting Bruno or Isak, so save yourself the heartache and stop dreaming now.
Rice is an outstanding DM, 2nd best in the world behind Rodri in my opinion. As a CM, can’t honestly say he is among the top in PL, compared to him shining as a DM.
We need a midfielder this Summer, and I’m hoping for a starter alongside Odegaard and Rice. Preferably an attacking type midfielder as we have enough defensive players on the pitch.
A Ramsey type making late runs would be ideal, but we will see what Arteta brings in.
Reset this Summer and go again, hopefully the final phase in our 5 year process.
We need additions to get us over the final hurdle, from bridesmaid to bride, so to speak.
Lastly, our tactics need to change as well, time to evolve and adapt rather than rinse and repeat the same approach.
Eze of Crystal palace would be a great candidate for that left 8 at Arsenal so wether Arteta and the technical director want him is something i don’t know at £50m he won’t be that expensive for arsenal and he is a good player and very versatile can cover multiple positions.
Like you I prefer Rice as our DM and on the assumption that Partey and Jorjinho will be departing I would try and bring in Baleba of Brighton who is developing into a Rolls Royce of a player.He has power and energy and is the quickest midfielder I have seen this season particularly in recovery situations.He is equally adept as a DM and in a box to box role and would bring real athleticism to our engine room.While Odegaard is highly skilled and creative he lacks pace in recovery and I think Baleba, backed by Rice, would give us the protection we need when we are hit on the break.Neither Merino, Havertz nor for that matter MLS are quick enough to be a box to box operator although our promising youngster may develop into one in the course.Unless Lokonga and Vieira have improved dramatically,, I cannot see either providing real competition for our Captain who needs cover in the AM role.Nwaneri may ultimately be the man to push Odegaard but when he recovers from his injury, I would like to think Arteta will recognise Havertz as the guy who played well as an AM during his career in Germany.
Grandad
We hold the same opinions on the players and positions you mentioned.
Since you mentioned Baleba a while back, I have been paying attention and watching his performances, and he is excellent, and at 20/21 years old will get even better. We need pace in midfield, and Baleba would bring the pace and balance to improve our midfield. I’d rather Baleba than another DM like Zubimendi, if I’m honest.
Add a striker to the list, and we are a top top club on paper, we just have to transition that into results on the pitch.
As far as MLS, he has solidified our backline, and produces all around in a way we had hoped Zinchenko would, but did not.
I would be very hesitant to disrupt our current backline, and believe the combo of Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, and MLS is among the best if not THE best backline combination in football currently.
Xhaka had one good season, the other 6 years at the Emirates underwhelming and often frustrating, red card anyone
and that good season he pushed up in to the final third when there was plenty of space to attack, like Martinelli he was great in those conditions, but like Martinelli his game is not suited to breaking down the low block – Arsenal need a more creative player who is good in tight spaces – bull in china shop Xhaka ain’t that
Agreed .
Agree it was only one good season, but I don’t agree he wasn’t good against low blocks in that season – his movement was clever and made space for players like martinelli. He could also pass the ball well, and had good positional instincts for winning the ball back quickly when we lost it (similar to rice but not to the same extent).
we rarely, if ever, faced the XI behind ball low block in those days, mainly because Arsenal was average team that many, even lower, teams had success against by taking the game to us – think lower half teams (or upper half) playing each other, both teams have a go taking the opposition on, as they have a good chance of 3 points – vs now when lower teams know they will be murdered taking Arsenal on in an open expansive game – Xhaka didn’t have deal with in his time Arsenal because we were mainly rubbish and could be got at
I think we did in his final season, because we were actually a good side then. Prior to that teams did still play a low block against us quite often, because it was an easy way to beat us – for a long time we were easy to hit on the counter and not that scary in attack, aside from auba.
And xhaka was sometimes good, sometimes poor in those days (not as awful as people might remember, but not good either)
“And xhaka was sometimes good, sometimes poor in those days” – and that was playing in that deeper role, as he was seen as our DM for a long time (I think Wenger was hoping he’d be our xabi Alonso, and emery and initially arteta played him in more or less the same way, I thought)
Skelly is perfect for LCM. With his aggressive style and goal searching ability, he can help us to win many games while protecting that left side. Still we need a back-up there for squad depth