THE transfer window is open, and Arsenal fans will be furiously refreshing their timelines in the hope of seeing reinforcements arrive.
Defenders will have been at the top of their Christmas wishlist—a fact reinforced by their 5-1 humbling at Anfield. As a bonus, many fans would like a striker to compensate for the loss of Danny Welbeck to injury. However, few supporters have been crying out for a central midfielder. Perhaps that’s why the repeated links to Argentinian playmaker Ever Banega mostly prompted shrugs of confusion.
At first glance, Banega could look like precisely the kind of signing Arsenal don’t need to be making—and that’s before taking into account the fact he plays in a position where the Gunners are seemingly well-stocked. The age profile is wrong: Arsenal have an ageing squad that is in need of rejuvenation. Banega is 30 now, and will be 31 before the start of next season. He’s hardly one for the future.
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Buying a winger/CB |
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Buy Banega— P™ (@Cechque) December 28, 2018
Liverpool’s obvious supremacy has prompted inevitable comparisons between the clubs: Jurgen Klopp’s team are not, unlike Manchester City and Chelsea, fuelled by petro-dollars. Their self-funded model is a realistic analogue for Arsenal to imitate.
However, their development has been built upon buying up-and-coming talent and selling them on for exorbitant fees. The money received for the likes of Luis Suarez and Coutinho has been superbly reinvested. With many of Arsenal’s key players already the wrong side of 30, they don’t have assets with that kind of soaring pricetag.
In the summer, Arsenal adopted a transfer policy of two halves. Two players with real potential, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi, were supplemented with experienced names like Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopolous. It was the same last January, when the additions of the ageing pair of Henrik Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were offset by the addition of Dinos Mavropanos.
However, the balance is not yet right. At a time when Arsenal look set to lose both Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey for nothing, they should be trying to steer clear of players with little to no residual value.
Exclusive: Aaron Ramsey to hold talks with Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Juventus, PSG & Real Madrid before leaving Arsenal as a free agent in the summer. #AFC have little money to spend in Jan so loans more likely with a bigger budget next window. Full details coming up @BBCSport
— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) December 31, 2018
However, Banega has something that the likes of Lichtsteiner and Socrates don’t: he is an Emery player. Although Emery took over Arsenal at the start of last summer, the speed and efficiency with which their transfer business was conducted suggests that head of recruitment Sven Mislintat had been already instigated the majority of those deals before the Spaniard had his feet under the desk.
He’s now had half a season to assess those new recruits, the pre-existing squad, and his requirements. This transfer window ought to be a more collaborative process, with Emery intensely involved in the recruitment strategy. He must know Banega better than most. He managed the midfielder at Valencia before taking him to Sevilla, where he became the cornerstone of Emery’s Europa League-winning side.
It’s clear Emery isn’t entirely happy with the midfield options at his disposal. The rapid promotion of Guendouzi is a declaration of faith in the Frenchman’s talents, but also a clear indicator that he doesn’t really see the point of Mohamed Elneny. When it comes to the playmakers, the decision to withdraw Ramsey’s contract offer and repeatedly drop Mesut Ozil speak volumes.
If Emery really is after Banega, I think that suggests he likes this proper 'midfield three' we've seen in the last couple of weeks. Xhaka, Torreira & Banega would be his attempt to grasp control of the centre of the park.
— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) December 28, 2018
In recent weeks, Emery has shown a preference for a midfield three, with Granit Xhaka and Torreira joined by Guendouzi. The Frenchman’s box-to-box style remains raw, but perhaps in Banega Emery has identified someone able to step in and immediately improve the Arsenal XI. He’s a creative player, but one who Emery knows will follow tactical instructions. Crucially, he’s also someone with the ability to control the tempo of a game—something Arsenal have generally failed to do this season.
It would also give Emery a valuable lieutenant in the dressing room. Upon arriving in north London, he sought to build a power base by naming five captains. However, of that initial quintet, Petr Cech has been dropped, Ramsey is leaving and Ozil has become ostracised. Emery could do with an acolyte close at hand.
With Banega having a relatively low release clause, this oughtn’t be an expensive deal for Arsenal. Emery has received some criticism from Arsenal fans for not having a clear enough philosophy. However, it’s entirely possible that he simply doesn’t have the right players to bring his playing style to life. If Banega proves to be the difference, he’s worth whatever he costs.
