As reported by Express, Paul Merson has claimed that Arsenal should have signed former Manchester City star Fabian Delph this summer. The Gunners were one of the busiest teams in the transfer market, notably securing the services of Nicolas Pepe, David Luiz and Dani Ceballos among many others. However, the Sky Sports pundit believes that the addition of Delph could have made a lot of sense for the north London giants.
Delph, instead, moved to Everton for a fee of €9.5m. But, should Arsenal have signed the English international this summer?
Style of play
Delph is a central midfielder by trade. He is primarily known for his work ethic and willingness to close down the opposing ball-carrier. The ex-Aston Villa star is a born leader, who is quite capable of motivating his troops while his disciplined nature makes him a valuable asset for Marco Silva. Besides that, Delph offers a lot of versatility which would have only benefitted the Gunners if they brought him to North London this summer.
Indeed, the 29-year-old, aside from his preferred central midfield role, can operate as a left-back and even as a wide midfielder. He also has a wealth of experience in English football, having made 170 Premier League appearances throughout his career.
Another key facet of Delph’s overall gameplay is his aggression and athleticism that goes hand in hand with the fast-paced nature of the English top flight.
Where does Delph fit in at Arsenal?
Arsenal have recently sent Mohamed Elneny out on loan to Besiktas. Aaron Ramsey also left after seeing out his contract at the Emirates. That leaves Emery with Matteo Guendouzi, Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira and new signing Ceballos as his midfield options this season. Delph, to that end, could have been utilised as a backup for either Guendouzi or Xhaka.
Alternatively, the 29-year-old could have been used as a makeshift left-back, especially following the departure of Nacho Monreal. The Spaniard joined Real Sociedad, leaving Arsenal with Sead Kolasinac as the only reliable option in the said position, with new signing Kieran Tierney sidelined with a hip injury. Delph, therefore, could have provided some much-needed competition as well as played as a backup for the Bosnian international.
Is Delph a viable target for Arsenal?
As iterated earlier, Delph’s versatility could have been extremely useful for Emery, especially with Arsenal competing in the UEFA Europa League this season. At the same time, the midfielder’s €9.5m price-tag might have been a little too much for the Gunners, after an eventful transfer window that saw them make some significant coups despite operating with a slender budget.
