We made a post earlier highlighting Arsenal’s woes in the centre of the park, before coming across reports linking us with another move to sign Adrien Rabiot from Paris Saint-Germain.
The 21 year-old has been on our radar since making the breakthrough into the first-team with PSG in 2012, and has become more and more regularly involved in the squad in recent seasons.
Rabiot has clocked up 19 league appearances this term, despite Lucas Moura, Javier Pastore, Blaise Matuidi, Thiago Motta and Marco Verratti amongst those vying for similar roles.
He will have been learning from those experienced heads around him, and if he could live up to the heights of Matuidi, Verratti or Pastore, he would be a great addition to any team, but at only 21, he still has so much potential to unleash.
Arsenal are no doubt lacking in steady midfield options at present, with Francis Coquelin, Mo Elneny, Granit Xhaka and the Ox currently sharing the two roles, and none of them are particularly deserved of holding onto their role at present.
Rabiot is claimed to be open to considering offers from big clubs this summer, with the midfielder most likely looking to join a big side that can guarantee him a role week-in week-out.
Team-mate Verratti has also been linked with an exit from his side this summer however, but after signing a new deal only last year, would likely command a hefty fee. He is such a fantastic player that should the opportunity arise to sign him, we should jump at it, but unfortunately our club rarely makes those spectacular jumps.
Santi Cazorla has had his contract extended by another season, which may lower our need to add numbers to our midfield, as well as the fact that Jack Wilshere’s loan to Bournemouth will end this summer also, both lead me to believe that we simply wont sign a new midfielder, but the pair have huge injury issues, and there is no guarantee that either would be able to remain fit for half the coming season, let alone the full extent of it…
Do Arsenal need a new central midfielder? Do Jack and Santi mean no-one will come in? And Can Xhaka live up to his pricetag?
Pat J