According to The Times, as cited by The Sun, Arsenal are keen on a move for Mislav Orsic. The Gunners have looked into the prospect of signing the Dynamo Zagreb attacker, with Mikel Arteta reportedly impressed with his performance against Tottenham in the UEFA Europa League. The Spaniard is also keen on bolstering his attacking options, with Orsic emerging as a potential target.
Mislav Orsic: Player Profile
Having played football in various countries across the world, including China, Italy and Japan, Mislav Orsic can be deemed as a seasoned campaigner. In fact, his move back to his native Croatia back in 2018 was a surprise for many, but it was a transfer that has revived the winger’s career.
Indeed, Orsic has been in fine form since his move to Dinamo Zagreb. He has contributed to 53 goals and 25 assists in just 122 matches, with a chunk of them in the ongoing campaign. The pick of his performances this season was the hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur that dumped the Lilywhites out of the UEFA Europa League while helping Dinamo make an astounding comeback.
A left-winger by trade, Orsic is a dynamic attacker who loves to take on the opposition. He is quite seamless in his movements and often likes to switch flanks in an attempt to keep the defenders occupied. In addition, the 28-year-old is blessed with the ability to test goalkeepers from long range – making him quite a well-rounded forward.
How Does He Fit In At Arsenal?
It remains unclear as to how much Mislav Orsic could exactly cost, but for Arsenal, he is likely to be worth much less than Odegaard. Either way, the Croatian certainly offers a lot to the table, particularly with his playmaking abilities that are complemented by his productivity. It should lift some pressure off the club’s main striker in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Orsic should also offer Mikel Arteta a lot of flexibility as he can operate anywhere in the final third. It means he can be considered as an alternative for the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Willian and Gabriel Martinelli, all of who have struggled with either form or injuries since joining Arsenal.
Orsic’s ability to operate on both flanks bodes well from a tactical perspective, too, as the attacker can effortlessly switch positions to keep the defence occupied. His ambipedal quality, meanwhile, is likely to hand him the edge in the build-up, ultimately enhancing the club’s creative unit.
One could argue that the 28-year-old does lack the experience of playing in Europe’s top leagues, but having shown his quality in the Europa League, the winger certainly has what it takes to shine in England – potentially becoming a first-team regular for the Gunners next season.
