Former Arsenal defender Lauren believes that the Gunners should make a move for Mario Gotze this summer. The former Cameroonian International is convinced that the Borussia Dortmund superstar will be an ideal replacement for Aaron Ramsey and can thrive at the Emirates under Unai Emery.
“Mario Gotze is also another very good player that has been linked with Arsenal, and he could do a great job at replacing Ramsey in Arsenal’s midfield.” – he told Bwin Sports during an interview.
Gotze’s mixed second spell at Dortmund
After rejoining Dortmund back in 2016, Gotze has endured a mixed spell at the Ruhrpott. His overall game time was hugely minimised after a metabolic disorder kept him out for more than four months. As a result, he only featured in 11 Bundesliga matches during the 2016/17 campaign.
Gotze has nicely recovered since then, but the German international has never been able to make himself a first-team regular at Dortmund. He did, however, enjoyed a productive campaign under Lucien Favre, having been involved in 14 goals despite playing just 1,675 minutes of league football this past season.
That being said, the 27-year-old is likely to play second fiddle to Paco Alcacer next season. And with Dortmund signing the likes of Julian Brandt and Thorgan Hazard this summer, Gotze’s chances of regularly making into the first-team could significantly drop.
What can Gotze bring to the table?
Gotze was advertised as a dynamic attacking midfielder during the early stages of his career. But, the German’s overall game has changed a lot following his illness. He is now more of a hard-working attacker, who likes to open up spaces for his teammates.
The German international can make full use of his technical prowess and make clever touches in the final third. He is also much more versatile now, having featured as a false nine for the most of the 2018/19 campaign.
Should Arsenal make a move for Gotze?
Gotze will be a welcome addition to Arsenal considering their attacking shortcomings this past season. The 27-year-old’s versatility in attack coupled with his work ethic and technical prowess could tune in well with Unai Emery’s tactical setup.
Furthermore, the Dortmund star has a vast amount of experience at the highest level of football, which means he is more likely to integrate himself into English football.
