By Rob Worthington (Deputy Editor)
As per The Athletic, Arsenal have been handed a considerable injury blow just weeks into the new season with Mo Elneny picking up a hamstring injury.
The extent of the injury’s severity is yet to be confirmed, but the club are believed to fear that Elneny’s blow is a serious one.
Elneny’s injury could cause Arsenal both short-term and long-term issues.
The Egyptian midfielder isn’t the flashiest player in the squad and the deficiencies within his game are often glaringly obvious, as Alfie Cairns Culshaw (Editor-in-Chief) and I discussed during the latest Arsenal Cannon Podcast.
But on Saturday against Fulham, it became apparent that he would be depended upon to fill in for Thomas Partey when needed this season.
And with Thomas Partey now out for a couple of weeks with a thigh problem (again), it looked like Elneny was going to get a decent run of games in the side.
This wasn’t an ideal situation, but one we could make peace with. Really though, Elneny’s injury could be something of a blessing in disguise.
Arsenal really should now push forward during the remaining days of the transfer market and sign a central midfielder.
This should’ve been the case prior to Elneny’s injury, but now it’d appear the club’s hand may be forced.
For me, Arsenal should be looking to sign a player who can compete with both Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey for a starting role.
A high-quality midfielder who can play both as the anchor in a midfield three, and on the left hand-side in the role Granit Xhaka currently most regularly occupies.
This player will likely feature more regularly for us going forward as an #8, but needs to be comfortable in the #6 role, a la Ilkay Gundogan at Manchester City.
And next summer, Arsenal should spend big on a defensive midfielder who can compete with and potentially displace Thomas Partey, as the Ghanaian has proven he is simply not dependable enough fitness-wise during his first two seasons in north London.
For now, though, here are three players Arsenal should consider signing before the window slams shut on Thursday evening.
The Sensible Solution – Florian Grillitsch
Credit to my fellow Deputy Editor Mac Johnson for pointing me in the direction of this player. Grillitsch’s situation really is a bizarre one.
The 27-year-old Austrian has impressed for Hoffenheim over the course of the last 5 seasons, but now finds himself a free agent.
He is yet to sign with a new club this summer, and as such could be a viable option for Arsenal with just a few days of the transfer window remaining.
Grillitsch is a strong tackler who is comfortable on the ball, comparable to Granit Xhaka in his style of play but slightly more mobile.
His long-term aptitude to the Arsenal midfield is questionable, with Grillitsch much more of a deep-lying player than an advanced #8.
But considering the cover he’d be able to provide alongside the fact he’s a free agent, it is clear to see why Arsenal should be looking to take a punt on this guy.
The Ambitious Solution – Ibrahim Sangaré
Ivory Coast international Ibrahim Sangaré may have just signed a new deal with PSV, but if Arsenal really wanted to bring in apt competition for Thomas Partey, they’d throw the bag at this guy.
Sangaré is one of Europe’s most promising defensive midfield prospects and at 24 it’s about time he gets a big move.
He really is a superb player. If he were to sign for Arsenal and settle quickly, Thomas Partey would have quite the job on his hands to win his place back.
It’s a shame Arsenal didn’t look to sign him before he renewed his deal at PSV, because he really is the complete package as a #6.
The club are known to be keeping an eye on their spending before the end of the transfer window, with @SwissRamble on Twitter suggesting Arsenal can spend £50-60 million before breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
That would likely be enough to pry Sangaré away from PSV, but it’d likely come at the expense of missing out on a winger. In my opinion, this would be worth the hit.
Sangaré is one of few midfielders in world football whose presence in our team would make an absent Thomas Partey largely unmissed.
The Likely Solution – Youri Tielemens
Arsenal’s annual prolonged transfer saga this year has surrounded Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans.
Before the transfer window opened in June, it appeared likely a move to the Emirates Stadium would materialise very quickly for the Belgian.
And yet, despite reportedly selling his home in Leicestershire, Tielemans is yet to earn a move away from the Foxes this summer.
Amid Arsenal’s minor injury crisis in the engine room, that could now change.
Before I go any further, I must admit Tielemans is not a #6. Long-term, I’d expect him to displace Granit Xhaka in the left #8 role.
However, his presence in the squad would help to soften the blow presented by Elneny and Partey’s respective injuries.
Against lower calibre opposition, Tielemans has the technical quality to do a job as a lone #6. In terms of his on the ball abilities, he can do a lot of what Partey does best.
And when we face better teams, Granit Xhaka can move a little deeper and partner the Belgian in a double pivot. Together, they can fill the void the left by Partey.
With Arsenal believed to have been monitoring Tielemans’ situation all summer, it’s likely a potential deal could be completed very quickly.
Or no one?
Failing to recruit a midfielder is now a non-option for Arsenal.
Albert Sambi Lokonga is left as the only player in the Gunners squad at the current moment in time who has operated as a lone #6 for Arsenal under Arteta, and he has shown he is more comfortable as an #8 in recent times.
And if he suffers an injury blow, Arsenal really will find themselves in a spot of bother. Realistically, neither Elneny nor Lokonga offer apt cover for Partey anyway.
Signing a player capable of playing as a lone #6 is an absolute necessity at Arsenal before the window slams shut on Thursday night.
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