According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Arsenal are tipped to sign Amadou Diawara this summer. The Gunners are willing to offload Lucas Torreira in favour of signing the Roma midfielder in a straight swap deal. The healthy relationship between AS Roma’s new owner and the Arsenal hierarchy could help facilitate the transfer.
Diawara’s short stint at Roma
Diawara joined Roma last summer, in a €21 million move from Napoli, and with the club suffering an injury crisis, the 23-year-old instantly became a key component in Paulo Fonseca’s midfield unit.
Diawara’s progress was halted by a Meniscal injury, but the midfielder was a regular fixture in Roma’s starting lineup since the restart. He made a total of 22 league appearances during his debut campaign for the Giallorossi.
His partnership alongside Jordan Veretout was critical as Roma ended the campaign on a strong note, achieving a top-five finish. It also added more stability in Fonseca’s overall tactical setup, making them much more competent in the middle of the park.
What can he bring to the table?
A defensive midfielder by trade, Diawara is primarily known for his technical qualities. He is a reliable passer of the ball, having notably attained a pass completion rate of almost 89%.
However, what makes the Guinean international such a prized asset is his ability to read the game. Indeed, Diawara is blessed with immense positional knowledge, which allows him to sense passing lanes of the opposition. As a result, he has averaged 1.5 interceptions per game this past season.
Aside from that, Diawara has impressed the onlookers with his tenacity and willingness to win back possession for his team. While the Roma star might not exactly be competent in the air, he does like to get forward too, making him a well-rounded midfielder.
Does the move make sense?
Diawara’s direct swap with Torreira makes sense for multiple reasons. As mentioned earlier, the 23-year-old is blessed with technical and positional knowledge that should tune in well with Mikel Arteta’s tactical philosophy.
Torreira, on the other hand, has struggled with an identity problem in Arsenal’s starting lineup. Despite his qualities, Arteta has failed to assign him a proper role in midfield. He shouldn’t have the same problem with Diawara though, as the Roma midfielder is a designated number six, who should slot in perfectly alongside Granit Xhaka.
In fact, Diawara can even be considered as an alternative to Xhaka. His presence will surely provide an incentive for the Swiss international to fight for his place in the starting lineup. Given how much Torreira has struggled at Arsenal, a straight swap deal between these two players certainly makes sense for the Gunners.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
