According to reports, Arsenal are eyeing a move for Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye this summer as the Gunners look to strengthen their spine and address an issue which has long been pestering them.
After coming to the season with a brilliant core of midfield players, who started quite well and got results early in the season, repeated injuries to star players like Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Mohamed Elneny took away the title again from Arsenal’s hands. Wenger now seems to have realised that any amount of depth would amount to nothing given his side’s misfortune of late.
Gueye arrived at Goodison Park last summer and has taken no time to impress under Ronald Koeman. His tremendous work rate on and off the ball and over-reliance on brute force for an aggressive approach has suited him quite well, leading many to familiarise him with Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante.
He could definitely be a great addition to the Arsenal side given the already available midfielders with North-London club. In fact, after Francis Coquelin has pretty much dried off this season, Gueye is exactly the kind of player who could enhance the performances of Granit Xhaka and Ramsey from the middle of the park.
The Senegal international is quite acquainted with English top flight football after spending two decent seasons and could be thrown right into the middle from the start of the season. Arsenal’s build-up play relies hugely on their midfield where the Gunners have most of their quality players. The big signing of Xhaka has mostly failed this season because he hasn’t got the necessary protection from Coquelin.
The Swiss international could be a great regista in the league if he has someone like Gueye to take off his pressure; someone who can win the ball and let Xhaka operate in spaces from where he can pick up the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud with a bit more composure.
The reason that Gueye has been so much similar in his playing style and impact to Kante is quite reasonable. Steve Walsh, the Everton director of football, was the one to bring the French midfielder during his stint with Leicester City and it was he who picked up Gueye.
After Aston Villa’s relegation in 2016, the Toffees bought the man for a mere £7.1million, and he has proved to be far valuable than that. Although Gueye’s contract with Everton runs till 2020, Arsenal could be a tempting destination for the 27-year-old if they manage to finish in the Champions League qualification spot.
