Arsenal’s draw at home against Manchester City has left them reeling in the sixth place in the points table and Arsene Wenger will know that his team has to play out of their skins to qualify for the Champions League next season. But the manager is already making plans for the next season and has reportedly identified Everton’s Idrissa Gueye as one of the top transfer targets for the club in the summer. How will the Everton new boy fit in at the Emirates?
Having joined the Toffees just this summer after a year at Aston Villa, Gueye has quickly cemented a place in the first team under Ronald Koeman this season and has turned into one of the busiest midfielders in the Premier League.
Till date, he has more tackles than any other player in the Premier League and is a player who has been influential in every game for Koeman’s side this season. He cost Everton just £8.5m and is contracted with the club till 2020 but reports suggest that Wenger is ready to splash the cash in the summer to get him to the Emirates.
In his two years in the top flight of English football, the Senegalese international has shown great progress, making 60 Premier League appearances so far. Known for his meticulous work rate, Gueye is a genuine CDM who loves to sit back and dictate the game in front of his defence.
He is strong and loves to hold the ball up in dangerous areas but is more than just reliable. His passing and dribbling abilities make him hard to keep track of, which allow Everton to set up attacks quickly while his ability to stay a step ahead of his opponents allows him to win the ball back consistently.
He hardly puts a foot wrong in the midfield, trying nothing fancy, and is a player who will walk into the first team at the Emirates. Francis Coquelin, the current first choice for Wenger, might yet keep his place in the side next season but the likes of Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, and Mohamed Elneny have not been dependable and Wenger might be forced to spend on a midfielder this summer. Gueye, with all his Premier League experience, is as good an option as any.
At 27, he is in the prime as a footballer and could be the first of many changes at the Emirates that can push them back to the top of the Premier League table. Arsenal need strength and mettle in the midfield and Gueye will not only help them become stronger defensively, he will also improve their creativity in the midfield. But do you think Arsenal should spend on the Senegalese international this summer?
