With a top-four finish looking highly unlikely and top stars Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil looking set to leave, it seems as though Arsenal have already identified replacements for the duo. According to a report from the Sun, the North London club have identified Schalke’s Max Meyer and Porto’s Yacine Brahimi to fill the void that looks likely to be left by Ozil and Sanchez.
Meyer, who is seen as a replacement for Ozil, has had a very successful campaign and has impressed for the Bundesliga side and even the German national team, making him one of Europe’s hottest prospects at the moment. The 21-year-old has stalled on negotiations for a new contract at the Veltins Arena. But what really adds credibility to this story is that the player was watched by Arsenal scout Francis Cagigao last week, so a formal move from Arsenal may well be on the cards.
Brahimi, on the other hand, is seen as a replacement for Sanchez. Much like Meyer, the Algerian has also had a pretty successful campaign in Portugal and has attracted a lot of interest from Europe’s big boys, with both AC Milan and Inter Milan said to be interested. Brahimi is a versatile forward who can play on either flank and up front and is blessed with ample pace and power. At 27 years of age, the Algerian is looking to take the next big step in his career and that may well be moving to the Emirates.
But are Meyer and Brahimi really good enough to replace Ozil and Sanchez at Arsenal? In my opinion, the answer is a resounding ‘no’. Ozil and Sanchez are the club’s two best players and the club simply cannot risk replacing them with players who are not even proven in the Premier League. If Arsenal are to move forward, we simply cannot keep losing our key players.
In all honesty, I do not think Wenger can effectively replace our star duo. Now while Wenger did mention that he is reluctant to pay astronomical wages because it can ‘destablise the dressing room’, it has to be noted that that’s how it works at every big club – the best players get more money, and Ozil and Sanchez are Arsenal’s best players. So instead of identifying mediocre replacements, I think the club should just pay them what they want and make every effort to keep them at the Emirates.
Anurag