According to Tancredi Palmieri, Arsenal are closing in on the capture of Sami Khedira. Other reports are claiming that the midfielder was spotted at the Emirates Stadium ahead of the Gunners’ friendly match against Olympique Lyonnais.
The Juventus star has struggled with injuries during his time in the Serie A, and a move away from Turin could be on the horizon. But, what does it mean to the Arsenal midfield department?
A replacement for Ramsey?
Khedira definitely won’t be considered as a replacement for Aaron Ramsey. The 32-year-old is a defence-oriented holding midfielder, who can provide stability and composure in the middle third of the pitch. That means he is more of a Francis Coquelin replacement Arsenal never had.
Unai Emery will likely groom new loan signing Dani Ceballos to fill in the shoes of Ramsey. The Spaniard is a gifted individual with a lot of potential. His energy and tenacity, coupled with his attacking prowess, could breath new life to the Arsenal midfield.
Khedira, meanwhile, will provide some much-needed competition to Granit Xhaka and even Lucas Torreira in the double pivot.
It could open the door for Elneny to leave
Khedira’s potential addition to Arsenal will surely pave the way for Mohamed Elneny to depart the club. The Egyptian international was notably courted by West Ham United earlier this summer. But, it remains to be seen whether any other club would want him during the remainder of the ongoing transfer window. Elneny’s sale will boost Arsenal’s transfer budget, albeit by a small margin.
Should he start ahead of Xhaka?
Xhaka has remained the undisputed number one holding midfielder for Arsenal ever since joining from Borussia Moenchengladbach. However, the Swiss international hasn’t exactly managed to replicate his form from the Bundesliga.
He has also lacked composure at times while his decision making has been often called into question. Hence, it wouldn’t be a bad idea from Emery to offer Khedira with an opportunity to prove his mettle by starting over Xhaka. The veteran midfielder can be deployed alongside Torreira in the double pivot.
Khedira’s excellent passing and a composed style of play will complement the more robust and energetic figure of Torreira. However, the German international could also be a gamble in many ways, given the fact that he is already in the final phase of his career. So will he be a success at Arsenal? Only time will tell.
